Until Now
by FirstLove15
Summary: Damon/Elena - My alternate ending to Season 2 Episode 4 Memory Lane. When Elena goes to the Boarding House after not hearing from Stefan all day she finds Katherine and Stefan kissing. Torn apart she finds herself comforted by Damon. See what unfolds.
1. My Ride Home

I had to find Stefan, I knew something had to be wrong. He hadn't answered his cell or even called me one time all day. Something was wrong and I knew it. I didn't even want to think about the nightmare it would be if he was hurt, or worse.

I had finally made it to the boarding house after battling Caroline all day to get here. She was acting strange, even more strange than expected given her recent change. Although I had to take into consideration the amount of change she had gone through. She was now a vampire, and she had to let go of Matt. It couldn't be easy.

I made my way inside. There were lights on but Stefan wasn't anywhere in sight. I searched upstairs and down and then I made my way down to the basement area. Once I made it down there I heard a noise. It was the faintest sound of talking. I followed the noise down to the cell at the end on the stone walled hallway. I made it to the cell entrance and looked in. I grasped at my chest as it seemed my breathing had completely stopped. I walked backwards so fast I hit the wall behind me.

I walked in to find Stefan in a passionate kiss with Katherine. I stood for a moment and stared. He braced her heavily against the wall, her arms wrapped around his neck. They didn't even hear me. I guess something between a shocked exhale and a sob escaped my throat and they finally looked up.

Kathrine's mouth instantly curled into a dark smile. Stefan's face took on a look of horror.

"Oh my god, Elena." He said. He jerked out Katherine's hold and began to walk towards me.

I began to back away. "Don't come near me." I shook my head violently.

"No, Elena, let me explain." Stefan pleaded. His hand reaching toward me as he made his way to me.

"No! Get away from me!" I said and I turned and ran. I heard him close behind me all the way until I reached the living room and then it seemed that he stopped. I left without even looking back.

I remembered as soon as I made it outside and down the driveway that I had walked the rest of the way here from where Caroline was waiting for the tow truck to pick up her car. I began to run, hoping if I ran fast enough I would catch them still there. I began to wonder if Caroline was stalling me because she knew what was going on. But how could Caroline know about that? I felt the sting of tears begin to burn in my eyes. I couldn't believe I saw Stefan kissing another girl. Kissing Katherine!

My chest was tight with pain. I made it back to the original spot I walked from and realized they were already gone. I pulled out my cell and sat down on the side of road trying to catch my breath. I dialed for Bonnie but the phone wasn't ringing. I pulled my phone back to look at it and realized I had no signal. I sighed and laid back tossing my phone to the side. I looked up at the clear night sky and let the tears fall, steaming down the sides of my face and soaking my hair around my face.

Then I heard a rustle in the edge of the woods behind me. I jumped up and looked into the woods. I saw nothing in the shadows but they were so dark I couldn't be sure.

"Hello!" I called. I began to get spooked. I began to run again, heading down the road. Behind me I noticed headlights were approaching. I slowed down a tiny bit not to draw more attention to myself than necessary. I didn't get my wish however. The car slowed and came to a stop beside me. I heard the drivers side window roll down, but I continued to power walk looking straight ahead.

"Elena?" I heard a girls voice say. I looked over to find Meredith, a girl from the high school. We had been good friends growing up but time managed to take us on different paths. It wasn't a bad thing though.

"Meredith, Hi." I tried to smile, tucking my hair behind my ear. I felt the burn in my cheeks from embarrassment.

"Do you need a ride? I'm heading to the bar&grill. I have to meet my parents there for dinner." She said.

I looked around me trying to gather the courage to say no thanks, but the road looked even darker in the presence of an actual car. I nodded and smiled and got in.

I tried very hard to keep myself together on the way to the bar. I figured once I got there at least I'd have signal on my phone and I'd be able to call Jenna or somebody. We chatted lightly, and if it hadn't have been for the current nightmare of a situation it would have been really nice to play catch up with Meredith. We made it to the bar and I waved polity and thanked her as she made it to her parents.

I pulled out my phone and sighed with relief as I had full bars.

"So, I'm pretty sure I pissed off the wolf." Damon's voice began over my shoulder. I nearly dropped my phone from him startling me. I turned to face him and rolled my eyes.

"Who do you NOT piss off Damon?" I snapped.

His eyes widened and he threw his hands up in mock surrender.

"Whoa, I'm sensing a little hostility." He smiled. "Well, a little more than usual." He said.

I sighed.

"Look Damon, I'm having an awful night and the last person I was planning on running into was you." I said shaking my head. I looked back down at my phone and left Damon standing there. I walked out into the back ally way to escape all the noise. I began to dial for Jenna when my phone started ringing. I noticed it was Stefan and my stomach twisted. I picked it up.

"Elena, please.." I heard Stefan say but I quickly hung back up. I felt another sob began to escape me. I let the fresh tears form in my eyes. I turned to walk but I ran straight into someone. I looked up to see Damon looking down at me, his brows pulled together in question.

"What's going on Elena?" He said.

"Damon I told you I'm just having a bad night. So please just..." I didn't even finish the sentence because I couldn't stop the tears anymore. I began to sob uncontrollably.

"Hey, hey...it's okay." Damon said reaching out for me. Somehow I was upset enough to let him pull me into an embrace. I laid my head on his chest and cried. At first I was uneasy and was trying to back away but then I just gave in. The force of his arms around me felt sincere. It felt comfortable and I just needed comfort in that moment. I felt his cheek rest on the top of my head.

"Elena, what's going on?" He asked quietly.

"He kissed Katherine." I stated and then the tears came on harder. He said nothing, just continued to let me cry into his chest. After a while when my crying had become just quick burst of inhales I backed away and noticed I got eye make up on his tan shirt.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I said, my voice scratchy and congested. I reached out and tried to wipe it off.

He looked down at what I was doing.

"Oh, please. I've got plenty of very expensive cloths. No worries." He grinned.

I sniffled and stared down at my shoes suddenly feeling tension. I grabbed out my cell phone once more and went to call Jenna. I noticed I had seven missed calls from Stefan and ignored it.

"Hey, let me just give you a ride home." Damon said. "You should probably get some sleep." He said.

I wanted to argue with him, to protest his offer and just call Jenna. But I was tired and strained and I just wanted to be in bed. I knew that would come sooner if Damon went ahead and took me, so I gave in and let him take me.


	2. Visitor

The hum of the motor purring outside was a like a lullaby. Damon drove swiftly through the roads trying to get me home as fast as he could. My eyelids became concrete as I watched the trees pass in a blur outside the tinted window. Finally they fell closed.

"Elena. Come on." Damon said softly. I opened my eyes to see him holding open my door. I grabbed my cell and got out of the car. He walked me up to the porch.

"Damon, um look. I really appreciate everything." I could tell my face was dismissive but his face showed no expression as he watched me begin to turn to the door.

"So do you still hate me?" He asked.

I turned to see him smiling crookedly.

"Damon, I'm too tired for this. Please don't start." I asked.

"Message received." He smiled looking to the roof of the porch in awkwardness. "Well...goodnight." He said turning quickly to leave.

"Damon." I called reluctantly. Why didn't I just let him go?

"Uh, yeah?" He said turning back around.

"Why do you think Stefan did something like that?" I asked. Not sure what answer I was wanting. Damon's mouth drew to a tight line and he sighed looking down. He a couple of steps back up to me.

"Katherine...can be very persuasive. And Stefan as you well know is...very tender hearted." He answered.

"So do you think he truly meant to or...?"

Damon listened to my question, his chin raised a small fraction. I saw him pondering his answer. Debating on whether he should give Stefan any hope or not.

He shrugged. "It's possible he may have just gotten...caught up. Let his guard down with her." He nodded. His eyes seemed suddenly troubled as if remembering something.

"Okay." I nodded. Somehow for a second we were locked in a look. I don't know what it was but it was strange. It wasn't uncomfortable it was...

"Elena, get inside please." Jenna was suddenly standing in the open front door. I nodded once at Damon and pushed past Jenna.

"Thanks again for today, Jenna." I heard Damon say regarding the get together they had all day at the house.

"Goodnight Damon." Jenna said smiling. She shut the door and turned staring daggers at me.

"What?" I asked shrugging off my sweater.

"Why are you hanging out with him again? Don't get the wrong message just because he was over here today." Jenna fussed.

"Jenna, please. Relax okay? He gave me a ride home...I had a bad ...run in with Stefan." I said.

"What happened?" She asked, her voice becoming soft and concerned.

"Well...he was in a pretty intense kiss with another girl today when I went to check on him." I said bitterly. _With my evil doppelganger vampire nemesis, _I wanted to add.

"Oh well that's terrible Elena, but might I remind you that not that long ago you were standing out on the front porch kissing his brother?" She smiled sarcasticly.

_Once again, evil vampire nemesis, _I wanted to say but instead I just sighed. "I have to get to bed." I said.

"Goodnight." She said shortly and walked off as I headed upstairs.

I took a long, hot shower. I got out and wrapped a towel around me and headed into the bedroom. I crossed the room and opened up my dresser. I saw something out of the corner of my eye and noticed the curtains to my window were open.

"Elena." I heard her voice behind me. I turned to find Katherine. Hands on her hips. Head tilted.

"Oh great, it's you." I said crossing back by her and walking towards the bathroom. I was trying to act nonchalant...but I was definitely afraid. Especially when I put my hands to my neck and realized my vervain necklace wasn't on. I had taken it off for a shower.

She laughed lightly. "Oh lighten up. I just stopped by to tell you I'm sorry you had to see that." She smiled.

"Are you, sorry?" I asked sarcasticly.

"Hell no. But it should be a lesson to stop snooping around where you don't belong from now on, right?" She asked.

I felt fire burn throughout me. I was so angry I began to shake. I opened my mouth to say something that I knew would wind up causing me trouble. But suddenly Damon appeared through the window in a blur.

"Okay that's enough, get out." Damon ordered her.

"Damon, how rude of you...this is girls only...can't you see she's not dressed properly." She said presenting her hand towards me in my towel. I suddenly felt even more exposed and wrapped my arms around myself.

Katherine was suddenly pressed against the wall, Damon with his hand pressing against her throat. "You will never set foot in this room again." He hissed in her face.

Her face looked slightly hurt and frustrated as she pried his fingers off her throat.

"Down boy." He lowered his hand. "Is this about the other night?" She asked looking up into his eyes with a pout on her face. I watched his fists clench in anger. "I heard you basically murdered Elena's brother over it." She laughed. "I mean if that didn't make you feel a little better I don't know what will." She said.

I saw Damon trembling with anger. She smiled up at him rubbing her neck and slowly made her way to the window.

"We'll finish this conversation later Elena." Katherine said politely and in a flash she was out of the room.

Before I even knew what was coming I began to cry again. Something about Katherine's presence was always overwhelming to me. Damon was in front of me in one blurred motion.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner." He said. "I came back to watch the house because I figured she would come around to gloat." He said.

I nodded. "Thanks."

"Hey...don't worry okay? I know she scares you but...I'll get Bonnie to find a spell to keep her out of here. I'm sure there's something we can do." He said.

I looked up at him through tears. His eyes moved down to hover right above the top of my towel. He reached out and touched his cool fingers to my skin. My heart skipped a beat.

"Where is your necklace?" He asked, his brows pulled together.

"Oh..um...I took it off when I took a shower." I answered hooking my thumb over my shoulder towards the bathroom.

He nodded running his fingers from where my necklace should have laid to the side of my neck. I thought about shrugging away from him. I thought about slapping his hand away. I wanted to look away from the way he looked at me...but I did none of those things. He looked at me for a few seconds, his lashes casting shadows across the top of his cheeks. He really was a beautiful creature. Then he nodded and backed away.

"You need to get to bed." He said walking to the window. "And put your necklace on." He said and he was gone in a flash.

**Please leave reviews :D I know I have the huge Damon/Elena story series More Than One/Torn and Humanity but I also wanted to do a more updated one lol Let me know what you think! :) **


	3. Goodnight

I laid in bed that night soaking in the darkness around me. My body was tired but my mind was running. I ran the image of Stefan kissing Katherine through my head over and over again. I was trying to find some kind of answer, but I didn't know what I was looking for. I felt like I was running a crime scene through my head trying to find any small details I had forgotten, but there was nothing. He was kissing her because he wanted to. There was no force from her, it was completely mutual. It was making me feel crazy, my mind bent on this one picture, this one thought. I felt like I was trapped in my own head and I just wanted it to go away. I squeezed my eyes shut and made a conscious decision to think about something else. I turned on my side facing the window. I watched the branches dance in the wind from the tree outside my window. The moon cast a blue glow around it. The moon made me wonder if the Lockwoods really were wolves. I almost smiled at the idea of something so ridiculous but then how could I feel that way when my boyfriend was a vampire...who was kissing another vampire tonight. I won't think about it. At least Damon was around in time to get Katherine out. Damon. I hate him. I don't hate him. I can't understand Damon. How could he be so cruel? But then the look on his face tonight was so different. His sincere offer for comfort. It probably wasn't even real. He's probably enjoying this. Damon...

I finally fell asleep. It finally came to me after hours of tossing and turning. I let my body loosen and I embraced sleep like it was my savior in the moment. I just wanted to stop thinking. But I wouldn't find my peace even in sleep.

The late evening twilight sky was alive and buzzing with an energy I had never felt before. I closed my car door and walked to the porch where Bonnie came rushing out to meet me.

"Elena, you made it!" She jumped up and down. "You have got to see this party." She said smiling brightly. She got behind me placing her hands on both my shoulders pushing me in with excitement. It was good to see Bonnie that way. It was her brightness that I had missed for so long. With every bad thing that happened it faded more and more. It was so good to see her truly alive again. I let her steer me to the porch where I could already hear the music's base booming out on the porch. She appeared in front of me and began to open the door.

"Check it out." She said smiling, brows raised as she unveiled a wild party inside. I walked in, it seemed that everyone at our school was there. I walked through the crowd, people brushing by me one at a time. It was an abstract sight of people drinking and laughing. The mix of conversations scattered about, people banging cheap red plastic cups to another in cheers. Kegs, pizza and snack food sat everywhere. It was definitely a real party. Caroline appeared in front of me.

".God have you seen the guys here? Some of them are from the college up north." Caroline said in mocking of a gossip girl. She held a glass in her hand pooled with deep scarlet.

"Hey Caroline, what are you drinking?" I asked feeling sadness creep over me.

"Here's a clue...it's..not...wiiine." She said breaking into a giddy laughter. I nodded once feeling annoyed and ...very sad.

That's when it happened. The crowd seemed to part perfectly. So perfectly it was as if a stage curtain had been separated. There was Katherine lounging back on the couch, her brunette curls spilling out beside her. Stefan was leaning over her, his hand behind her neck kissing her deeply, passionately. I stammered forward my mind going blank. I reached for Stefans back, since that was the only thing I could see of him. Right before my fingers touched him he turned quickly looking at me and a horrifying growl ripped through his teeth, his eyes were dark and hungry. I stumbled back and fell as everyone bursted in laughter all pointing at me. Caroline kneeled down to me, her mouth had blood pouring from it, running down her chin and to her neck.

"You don't fit in Elena. You need to leave. We're vampires, were witches, were werewolves...what are you!" She said almost angrily. I got up and stumbled towards the door. But suddenly the house seemed to have grown in size times four. I kept stumbling through the laughing crowd but a front door was nowhere in sight. I was choking on tears and pushing through as fast as I could. Till finally a pair of arms caught me and embraced me in comfort.

"Elena, it's okay." I heard him say. I looked up to find Damon looking down at me. "It's okay." He whispered. The sound of the crowd faded and all I could hear was his voice. "Everything is going to be fine." He ran his hand gently down the back of my hair. His piercing blue eyes were gentle. He smiled sweetly. I did feel comforted. I felt safe with him. I suddenly realized we were standing outside. The moonlight cast down on us and I studied his face in the light.

"Is this better, out here?" He asked smiling, suddenly batting his eyes they way I had once warned him not to.

"It's better." I agreed.

"But it's not good enough." He said gently. He backed away suddenly grabbing Jeremy from out of nowhere and broke his neck. I heard my own screams echo in my head and as Jeremy's body hit the ground I sat up in my bed gasping for air.

I Thought about ditching school for the day. I was exhausted and still weary from the days previous events. I decided against it by the time I was dressed and on my way. I made my way through the parking lot watching my feet as I walked.

"Elena." I heard Bonnie call. I looked up as she joined my side.

"Hey Bonnie." I said, the vision of her welcoming me into a party flashed in my mind.

"I heard what happened." She said. Looking at me with concern.

"How?" I asked.

"I just talked to Damon." She said. For some reason I looked up and scanned the parking lot to see if I could see him anywhere.

"What did he say?" I asked.

She followed my gaze. "No, he already left. He said Katherine came into your bedroom last night, he wants me to find a spell to block her out." She explained. I realized that was all he had told her. About Katherine. Nothing about Stefan.

"Yeah, do you know of anything that can help?" I asked.

"I think I have an idea of something but I'll have to go through the books when I get home." She explained. Then she smiled. "So, since when did Damon become your guard dog?" She laughed lightly.

I sighed.

"Elena." I heard his voice come out of nowhere. I looked up to see Stefan standing a few feet away. I stopped and stared. Unable to move forward but I had no idea what to say or if I wanted to say anything. His face was serious and steady.

"Um, I'll...leave you two to talk." Bonnie said as she sped off towards the school.

We stayed like that unmoving. I felt the crisp air wash around me tossing my hair around lightly and listened to the leaves scrap across the black top of the parking lot.

"What do you want, Stefan?" I finally said.

He walked towards me until he was standing inches from me. "I want to explain, Elena. I'm so sorry about what you saw." He said.

"There's no excuse Stefan. I don't want to hear it." I said.

"I didn't come here to make excuses. I kissed her. On purpose." He said.

I flinched at his words. There it was. Concrete and right out in the open. He kissed Katherine and he wanted to.

"Well...that's just great Stefan." I said turning away. His hand caught my shoulder and he turned me around.

"I said I meant to, I didn't say it meant anything. She was there and I took her down to the cell in the intentions on getting her to tell me the truth about why she's here. She insisted on talking about the past over and over and I got caught up in everything and I..." He stopped seemingly frustrated.

How could he stand here and tell me this. I have a boyfriend that has lived for centuries, who has experienced more than most humankind. But I'm getting the same lousy story as any girl who has been betrayed.

"Whatever, Stefan." I said rolling my eyes. "I have to get to class." I said as I brushed past him and made my way into the school trying to hold back tears. I couldn't believe that me and Stefan were in this situation. We were perfect together, how could this have happened?

I left school as soon as the last bell rang. I just wanted to go home, sit in a bath for hours and read an old novel that had no vampires or any other mythical creature involved in it. I turned the radio up as loud as I could on the way home to drown out the mess in my mind. I finally made it there and went inside. I walked up stairs and headed to my room. As I passed Jeremy's room I over heard some voices and with curiosity I went to poke my head in to see who it was since the door was already open.

When I made it to the doorway I found Damon standing in front of Jeremy.

"Get away from him!" I screamed storming into the room. All that I could see was the vision of Damon snapping his neck playing in my mind. Damons hands flew up in mock surrender and he backed up a few feet from Jeremy.

"Whoa, Elena." Jeremy laughed nervously. My eyes darted back and forth between them.

"What are you doing here?" I stormed over to Damon poking my finger into his chest.

Damon's face showed surprise but slight amusement.

"Relax Elena, he just came to give me this." Jeremy said. I turned and looked at him in time to see him hold out an old leather bound book.

"What is that?" I asked.

"It's one of Jonathan Gilbert's old journals I was able to dig up." Damon explained. "Now if we're done with the hysterics...I'll go." Damon said backing out of the bedroom door. He raised his hands once more in a dramatic surrender and turned to leave.

I turned and looked back to Jeremy. "I asked him to find what he could on this the other night when I widdled a stick to go kill him. Turns out he's only a part time asshole." Jeremy shrugged.

Before he could finish his sentence I ran downstairs and out of the front door to catch Damon before he left. He was making his way down the front porch steps.

"Damon." I called.

He turned to me.

"Elena, I told you I was sorry the other night. I meant it, okay?" He said.

I looked to the ground feeling a slight bit of shame for my reaction.

"Look, Damon...I'm sorry I freaked out. It's been a weird twenty four hours. Stefan, Katherine...the dream..." I explained.

Damon tilted his head in curiosity when I mentioned a dream. I walked forward and sat down on the steps. Damon hesitated for a moment and then joined me. I looked over at him as he looked at me with concern. The blue color button down he was wearing made his eyes flare with the most vivid blue I had ever seen. I noticed he even had a hairline of sliver wrapped around the tiny flecks of black in the middle of his eyes.

"I'm sorry I scared you. I was only going to beat him up this time. Severely." He said, his mouth twisting into a smile.

I felt the corners of my mouth twitch. It might have actually made me laugh if I didn't feel so bad.

"Damon, can I ask you a question?" I said looking back up at him.

"Shoot...or...stake..?" He looked around pretending to be confused. "I don't know the proper term for vampires on that one. Maybe there's a vernacular of some kind for that." He shrugged.

"I'm being serious." I said.

"yes, ask away." He said.

I took my vervain pendant between my fingers like I always did when I got nervous.

"What was Katherine talking about when she said 'is this about the other night' and then she mentioned you trying to kill Jeremy?" I asked.

Damon shook his head and looked away as if he was suddenly very uninterested in the conversation.

"Damon, please." I said. I reached out, putting my hand under his chin to make him look at me.

He turned to look at me and his eyes locked with mine. He had the most bewildered look on his face, his eyes traced with centuries of sadness. I lowered my hand realizing that my hand was still there.

He looked down and sighed. "She showed up at the house the other night. I had a ...weak moment and in that weak moment I was willing to let go of everything and trust her and I told her that." He said. He shook his head and smiled darkly. "and then she proceeded to let me know that she's never loved me. She only loved Stefan." He explained.

I was at a loss for words. The scene played in my mind of the other night when Damon showed up at the house drunk. The way his hands touched my face, the way his eyes searched mine for a desperate answer. I pretty much repeated the words that Katherine had just said. That I loved Stefan and only Stefan. He switched off his feelings in blind hatred and went after Jeremy. I felt the same pang of hate go through me at the memory, but now a feeling of sadness ran along side it. It was no excuse for him to do what he did, but there was a rhyme and reason to it.

"I'm sorry Damon." Was all I could say.

"So am I." He said.

A silence filled the air, but it wasn't awkward like I was expecting. It was peaceful. Something I hadn't felt in several days. We looked out over the lawn as the leaves swept across the grass and the air stirred quietly.

"What am I going to do Damon?" I asked, not knowing why.

"Honestly? I think you should go talk to him." Damon answered.

I looked over at him. He was sincere. I guess I was shocked because I truly believed he was probably enjoying the situation. But when I looked at him his face was serious.

"Fine." I nodded. I went inside and grabbed my keys off the counter and headed back outside.

"Good luck." Damon smiled slightly.

"Aren't you coming?" I asked.

BOARDING HOUSE

Stefan paced the floor in front of the fire place. He ran through a thousand different lines for what he would say to Elena to get her to forgive him. He pushed his hair back and exhaled heavily.

"You look stressed darling, need a drink?" He turned to find Kathrine calmly pouring a glass of scotch by the bar.

"What are you doing here?" He growled.

"Still mad about last night? It's not my fault you got caught." She smiled.

"Leave Katherine, I mean it." He snapped.

"Oh come on Stefan. When are you going to give up the charades. You love me and you know it." She said with a small pout.

"No...I don't. It was just a moment okay? It was mistake." He said.

"Ouch." She said. She crossed the living room and walked mere inches away from Stefan. "Was it really? A mistake? Would you feel any different if you hadn't have gotten caught?" She asked.

Stefan looked into her eyes studying them closely. "No. I wouldn't" He said.

She reached up and touched his face. "I don't believe you." She said smiling lightly.

He took her hand down. "Get..out." He said again.

ELENA

I walked to the door and let Damon open it. As we walked in I caught a glimpse into the living room. I walked in and almost fell backwards when I found Stefan standing there with Katherine. He looked up in shock as I gasped and began to walk backwards. I couldn't believe this was happening all over again.

"Elena, no...wait..you don't understand." Stefan began walking towards me.

"No!" I turned and bolted for the door. I caught a glimpse of Damon who looked thoroughly surprised by the situation. I couldn't believe I was acting like this. I wasn't usually the jealous type but it was the fact that it was Katherine of all girls. Suddenly Stefan was right behind me. He grabbed my arm and I turned to meet his face.

"Elena, don't walk away. You don't understand. I was telling her to leave. That the kiss was a mistake." He said sharply. In the background I heard the slightest laugh escape from Katherine. I felt tears burn in my eyes and I jerked my arms from his grasp. I turned again and reached for the door. He grabbed my arm again.

"Get away from me." I hissed. I opened the door and felt him try to grab me again. "Damon, keep him away from me!" I yelled over my shoulder. A look of shock hit Stefan's face. His eyes flickered to Damon and back to me. Damon was looking at me apologetically. I turned and ran to my car.

BOARDING HOUSE

The door shut and there was nothing left but silence. Damon turned and looked at Stefan.

"You really screwed the pooch on this one little brother." Damon said.

They both turned as if on cue and looked for Katherine but she had disappeared.

"I didn't mean for this happen." Stefan sighed.

"Mis communication...it's a bitch." Damon replied.

Stefan turned and looked at Damon as if he just noticed he was in the room.

"What was with her comment? Are you her body guard now?" Stefan asked sarcastically.

"Body guard? No...shoulder to cry on...maybe. I gave her a ride home last night and by the way...Katherine paid her a little visit last night to rub her little rendez-vouz in her face. I was there for that to." Damon said. "Tisk tisk Stefan, you're really slipping on your boyfriend skills." Damon wagged his finger at Stefan.

Stefan rolled his eyes. Damon's cell phone went off and he answered.

"Hello?"

"Damon, it's Bonnie. I found a way to keep Katherine out but I'm going to need your help. Meet me at Elena's." Bonnie said quickly and hung up the phone.

"Sheeez. Snappy little thing that witch is." Damon said.

"What's going on?" Stefan asked.

"I have to assist in bewitching a window sill ...or something." Damon answered snapping his cell shut.

Stefan crossed his arms and stared at Damon.

"So...why you ponder a way back into Elena's good graces I'll be keeping your mistress out of her room." Damon smiled turning for the door.

"You know I didn't mean for this to happen Damon." Stefan said, his voice like ice.

"I know. I know how she can be." Damon answered seriously as he left.

ELENA

I raced home sobbing even harder then I did the day before. I stumbled up the driveway and into the house. I noticed Jenna was gone still and I was happy for that. I didn't need any run ins with her right now. I walked into the kitchen and slid down the wall onto the floor. I drew my legs up to me and threw my face into my arms and cried. Time passed and my tears kept coming.

"Elena." I heard his voice say. I raised my eyes to see Damon kneeled down beside me.

"Damon." I said my voice cracking in a strange way. Before I even realized it I lurched forward and fell towards Damon. He caught me in his arms and held me as I cried a new batch of tears. The way his eyes swept across my face it suddenly reminded me of the night of the horrible wreck when I first discovered the picture of Katherine.

"Your not going to kidnap me and take me to Atlanta again are you?" I tried to joke through tears.

Damon laughed quietly flashing a dazzling smile. "Not unless you want me to." He said.

"Umm-Hi." Bonnie said suddenly standing in the kitchen. Her sudden presence seemed to throw me back into reality and I realized how this might look. I jumped up.

"Bonnie. Hey." I said wiping under my eyes.

"What in the hell is going on?" She asked looking between me and Damon.

"Stefan kissed Katherine last night. I found them. And today he was at the house with her again so..." I watched her face fall.

"Oh my god...seriously?" She asked.

A few minutes later we were all up in my room as Bonnie explained to Damon what needed to be done to cast the spell.

"Okay, before I can do this I need you to mark each entrance to the house with a small amount of your blood." She said to Damon. "It calls for Vampire blood to mark the perimeter." She explained.

"Poetic." Damon said raising his brows.

"Just do it." Bonnie rolled her eyes.

I noticed the hostility. "I thought you two already talked about this." I said curiously.

"I didn't say it was a nice conversation." Bonnie said glaring at Damon.

"Why are you so mad at me again?" Damon said smiling.

"Shall I make a list?" Bonnie shot back.

"Okay guys...can we just do this?" I said.

Damon nodded and crossed over to my window. He opened it up and brought his wrist to his mouth biting down and then pressing it to the bottom of my window. Then he was out in a blur to go for all the other exits.

"Elena, I'm sorry your having a hard time right now...I really really am but be careful with him. You know how he is." She warned. "You know I'm here for you too." She added.

"I know." I said "Thanks Bonnie."

A while later Damon was done and Bonnie cast the spell. We all made our way down stairs and out to the porch.

"I appreciate everything." I told Bonnie.

She smiled sweetly and hugged me tight. "Call me if you need me." She whispered in my ear. I nodded.

She walked to the car, giving Damon one last sharp look before getting in and driving off.

Damon and I stood for a moment watching her head out onto the road and disappearing into the darkness.

"I think she's warming up to me." Damon said nodding. I smiled.

"Thanks to you too Damon. I really appreciate everything." I said.

"Hey...I try." He shrugged smiling.

"I'm serious." I said.

He turned and faced me, his face only a few inches away.

"Elena. I know it's hard to believe right now but...I really think this whole Stefan,

Katherine thing is just a big mis conception and he got in over his head." He said softly.

I couldn't help but to laugh a little.

"What?" He said.

"I guess I'm just surprised your sticking up for Stefan. For the second time." I said.

"It takes effort." He smiled. "I could always get wasted and try to force you to kiss me ...recreate that whole disaster again...minus killing Jeremy." He said putting up a finger to make a point.

I felt my cheeks heat in a blush.

"Cute, Damon." I said.

He smiled and looked to the ground. "Yeah..." He laughed. He looked around for moment. "Well, you should be all secure here so, I guess I'll let you get some sleep." He said looking back to the ground. An undeniable gesture of shyness that I couldn't believe that I was seeing. He turned to leave.

"Damon." I said not knowing what had come over me all the sudden. He turned back around and without another word or any signal he met my mouth with his in a matter of seconds. My body set ablaze and my heart hammered against my chest. I felt his hand run softly across the back of my neck, his other hand landing on my waist. We kissed deeply and I realized in that moment that it felt like a dam had broken loose. That is wasn't a shock it was just all a matter of time. Then my head cleared suddenly and I jerked back. His eyes that were usually ice blue were dark pools of water but were wild and alive. His eyes swept across my face his expression somewhere between not knowing what to expect and fear of what would happen next.

"I'm sorry." He said. Without another word he turned and walked off the porch and with the sudden gust of wind that stirred in the open air he was gone into the darkness.

**Please O Please leave reviews...they help big big time! :D**


	4. A Different Place

**Before you begin: Please note that the first of this chapter was written to Through The Trees by Low Shoulder and the last segment of this chapter was written to Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. So check it out on project playlist or whatever music thing if you would like a little soundtrack to it :) Enjoy. **

As soon as he was gone I was left with nothing but silence. I felt like I was in some sort of trance. I made my way inside and upstairs to my room. I laid down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Without my consent my mind replayed what had just happened. I just kissed Damon Salvatore, I thought to my complete horror. At least I thought it was horror. But the feeling of electricity that shot through my system suddenly took over and I smiled and laughed giddily. I realized I felt like I was in middle school and I had just experienced my first kiss.

_I can't believe this just happened. _I thought over and over my breathing accelerating. But then a new thought crossed my mind. I wound up letting this happen because and only because I was so upset at Stefan. But how could I be upset with him now when I had just done the same thing! And with his brother! How could I have done something this terrible. A picture of Katherine, Damon and Stefan crossed my mind from the stories I had heard from the past and I felt a sick twist in my stomach when I realized that it was all happening again.

I didn't get much sleep, as I tossed and turned all night. Battling between the knot in my stomach from guilt and the overwhelming sensation of butterflies that obliterated that knot each time I thought of the kiss.

The next day school went by at a snails pace. I didn't see Stefan there which made it easier. I didn't know how I was going to react to seeing him now with everything that had happened. I felt energized and a low buzz of excitement kept flaring up inside me unwanted and bothersome. On the other hand I was confused, horribly confused and angry at myself for letting such a thing happen.

Towards the end of the day I was at my locker gathering books to study during the weekend. Bonnie approached and leaned against the lockers beside mine.

"Hey Bonnie." I said trying to sound a little enthused.

"So...how did last night go?" She said. I slammed my locker in shock and looked at her.

"What?" I asked.

"Um...any visits from Katherine?" She said, her brows raising in alarm at my reaction.

"Oh...oh..no. No everything was fine." I answered smiling through the descending panic.

"Well, how about tonight we go to that party they're having at the tombs. I mean I swore I would never go near it again but...I figured we need to get out and have a nice night, you know? It's been a while since the serious factor has been low." She said.

"Ugh...it would be nice to have just one night of normalcy." I sighed.

"Yeah...and maybe.." Bonnie trailed off.

"Maybe what?" I asked, waiting for her to finish her sentence.

"Well, I was hoping you and Stefan could patch things up. I actually hate that you guys aren't talking. Let's face it...what he did was terrible. But Katherine seems to be a mental terrorist and...he loves you Elena. You know it was mistake." She explained her eyes looked pleading.

"Yeah...we'll see." Was all I could say around the lump in my throat. I thought for a brief second about confessing what took place last night but I knew she would hate it so I back down from the idea.

When I got home Jeremy seemed to be hustling to get ready.

"Your going tonight?" I asked.

"Yeah." He smiled.

"Jeremy, please don't drink too much." I asked.

"I'll get drunk, but I'll stop there okay?" He laughed lightly. "Aren't you going?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'll be there." I answered.

I went upstairs and took a shower, I slipped on a pair of jeans and a black fitted button up. After a ran a brush through my hair I stood and looked at myself in the mirror. _You can do this, Elena._ I took a deep breath and headed out.

The early night was beautiful and the cool air sent a new jolt of energy through me. I made it onto the trail going through the woods until I found the cluttered area of other parked cars. Getting out of my car I could already see the illuminated area through the trees cast by the huge bon fire they had going. I could see the shadows of people towering to the tops of the trees and I made my way over to it battling the butterflies rising again.

"Elena, over here!" I heard Bonnie call. She was sitting on a log with a few people from our American Lit class. I went over and sat down looking out over the crowded woods. People were drinking and laughing and the sound sent chills down my spine, reminding me of my dream.

"Want one?" A frail looking guy named Chris handed me a beer. I went against my better judgment and took it. I didn't usually like to drink that much but tonight I felt like I was going to need it. As I popped the tab I thought about the last time I had drank. The night in Georgia...with Damon.

I looked around again at the people partying around me. I looked over at Bonnie who was staring wistfully out into the woods herself.

"Feels like ages since we could just be carefree like that." Bonnie said nodding towards a small group of drunk teens by the fire, who were in their second round of singing Journey to the top of their lungs.

"It does. It really does." I said.

"Let's get wasted." Bonnie said. I turned and looked at her. She was smiling wide hoping that I would agree.

"Cheers." I said smiling and we tapped our cans.

A little while later we had already downed five beers a piece. We were standing by the fire with a large group gossiping about our teachers and laughing until we couldn't breath. I tilted my head to the sky in hysterical laughter when they started in on Mr. Morrison, our chemistry teacher. Bonnie was bent over trying to catch her breath. I felt good. I went to go get us another beer walking towards the cooler at the log we were at earlier.

"Omigod, Elena!" I looked up to see Caroline skipping towards me.

"Hey." I smiled. "How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm okay. I really wanted to come so Stefan agreed that it would be fine as long as I had a babysitter." She said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Oh? And who might that be?" I asked looking around. But just as I did I knew when Stefan suddenly joined her side.

"You don't mind do you?" Caroline said pointing her thumb towards him. She was smiling because she didn't know about Stefan and I having problems she was joking merely because she was out with my boyfriend.

"Um...no. That's fine." I said.

She turned to Stefan. "Okay...I'm going to go find Bonnie." She told Stefan. He nodded slightly but never took his eyes off of me.

"Elena..I."

"Stefan , just...let's not talk about it okay?" I asked. I opened the cooler and took out and handed him a beer.

He took it and nodded, his face weary and sad. I took out another one and opened it chugging it down as fast as I could.

"Having a good night?" He asked, his brow raised at my beer.

"That's my intentions." I said. He smiled lightly and nodded.

I grabbed another beer out of the cooler and made my way over to Bonnie with Stefan in tow. She turned and took it eyeing Stefan behind me.

"Hey Stefan." She smiled.

"Hey Bonnie." He said. She looked at him for a second and then to me. She gave me a steady look and I sighed. Knowing she was telling me to talk to him.

I went and sat down at another log not far from the fire. He sat down next to me and we looked around for a while in silence.

"Okay, let's talk about it I guess." I said.

"There's not much to actually talk about Elena. I made a mistake and I'm sorry. And I wasn't with her yesterday...she came uninvited as usual and I was in the middle of telling her to get out when you showed up. I know it looked bad considering the night before but I swear it was nothing." He explained.

I considered his words for a moment. I realized though that it wasn't about what had happened with him and Katherine anymore it was more about what had happened with me the night before. I had no right to be mad at him anymore but for some reason I just couldn't find it in me to jump back into things and carry on normally at the moment. I had guilt on my mind and I had to find a way to tell him the truth before I could do anything else...but I just couldn't find the courage to do it just yet.

"It's okay." I said.

"Are you sure?" He asked his eyes melting with relief. He leaned towards me. "Because I feel awful but I've missed you so horribly..it's been a nightmare." He said and then he went to kiss me. I leaned back suddenly not allowing that to happen.

"Yes, I'm sure Stefan but...you have to give me a little more time. Just a little I swear...I've just had a very weird few days and I..just need..."

"Time?" He asked, finishing my sentence. I nodded. He smiled lightly understanding. Because Stefan was always understanding. He looked around for a moment. "I should probably go find Caroline." He said. I nodded. As he got up and left I got up as well and headed back to where Bonnie was. Suddenly I was bumped really hard and looked up to see Tyler stumbling drunk past me.

"Oh, shit...sorry Elena." He slurred.

I smiled. "It's fine." He walked on past me. As I looked up though my heart went into overdrive...a mix of butterflies and regret washed through me when I spotted Damon leaning against a tree at the edge of the woods. He waved and I waved stupidly back in a daze. I saw him look past me at Tyler. I followed his gaze to see Tyler standing with his uncle on the other side. When I looked back he was gone.

A little while later I was heavily intoxicated standing with Bonnie by the fire.

"Have you seen Caroline?" I turned and saw a look of worry on Stefan's face. I looked around and then shook my head along with Bonnie. "Not for a while." I answered.

"I lost her." He said looking around anxiously. Bonnie looked over at me, alarm creeping around the corners of her bleary eyes.

"I can call her." I said reaching for my cell. I realized then that I had left it in my car. I left the group and stumbled to my car in the woods. I reached in and grabbed my phone. When I shut the door I suddenly heard crying a little further into the woods. I followed the sound and came across Caroline sitting by a tree crying into her hands. I then spotted someone laying on the ground at her feet. I ran to her.

"Caroline! What happened?" I asked.

Her head snapped up. "Elena, I didn't mean to. She cried. I kneeled down quickly and turned over the boy laying on the ground. It was Chris, the boy who had handed me the beer earlier. I felt his neck. There was a pulse but it was very faint. I looked around in panic and I heard the muffled sobs from Caroline get louder.

"Stefan!" I yelled. It only took matter of seconds for him to make it to me.

He scrambled to the ground listening to his pulse. "We don't have much time." He said. He shook Chris' face. "Listen..look at me!" Stefan said.

Chris opened his eyes slowly. "What happened?" He said weakly.

"You fell and hit your wrist in the woods, you were alone." Stefan said compelling him to forget everything else.

Bonnie made it to where we were staring in horror at the boy laying on the ground.

"I told you we should have killed her." We looked up find Damon standing there, his arms folded..the look on his face was smug.

"Not right now, Damon." Stefan said waving him off. "I'll take him to the hospital. I can get there fast." Stefan said. He fumbled in Caroline's pocket for her keys. He picked Chris up.

"I'm going with you." Bonnie said to Stefan.

"No, Bonnie you need to stay here with Caroline, please. Just watch her until I can make it back." He asked.

She nodded looking at Caroline. I was saddened by the look of disgust on Bonnie's face at Caroline.

I looked over at Damon, who caught my eye. We exchanged a long look before he looked back to the ground.

Once Stefan was pulling out of the woods and Bonnie was sitting by Caroline I looked up to see Damon walking off into the woods.

"I'll be right back."' I told them, and I followed him. I lost track of him for a little but I kept walking deeper and deeper until I began to grow afraid that I was lost.

"Looking for something Riding Hood?" I heard his voice behind me. I turned around finding him sitting on a low branch of a huge oak grinning. I just stared suddenly not knowing why I was standing here.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Here?" He asked pointing at the branch he was sitting on. "Well...I thought this town needed a shady vampire lingering in the forest...it fits." he nodded.

I rolled my eyes. "Can you just be serious for one second?" I asked.

He jumped off the branch landing on his feet in perfect precision.

"I'm keeping track of the dogs. Turns out their tolerance for alcohol holds no valued bragging rights." He smiled. Then his face went into an over exaggerated seriousness. "Oh sorry...I'm being serious." He said walking towards me. With every step he took my heart pounded harder. "And on another serious note...about last night.." He said

"Damon, don't worry about it...it was just..."

"What? A mistake?" He smiled brightly. He reached out and took one of the curls at the end of my hair between his fingers. "Cause I don't think so." He said.

My heart was flying. My face was hot. Why was feeling this way? Why wasn't I moving away from him? I reached up and touched my vervain pendant to make sure it was still there. I had no other explanation for feeling so...enchanted by him.

He reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear. I watched his eyes sparkle in the moonlight shining through the trees. He leaned down and kissed me lightly on the forehead. He leaned back as I felt his fingers caressing the side of my cheek.

Suddenly his hands fell away from me and he shook his head turning to walk away. My heart sank so fast I felt like I couldn't breath.

I took two steps to him and touched his shoulder. He turned around with a stunned look on his face.

"Don't go away." I whispered. He looked at me in complete awe.

"What's happening?" He said so quiet I wasn't sure if I had even heard him at all.

He leaned in his body pressing to mine and his mouth came crashing in on mine. I felt the sting of tears hit my eyes out of complete fascination of this feeling I had. It was wrong, what was I doing? I pulled back looking at his face. His eyes lingered on my lips for a second and then he met my eyes with a look I had never seen on his before. It was devastatingly beautiful. He looked scared, vulnerable but it was the look of earth shattering admiration that took me. This time it was all me. I ran my lips across his and then we kissed violently. He picked me up pulling me closer. My hands tangled through his hair. He walked forward pressing my back into a tree. He ran his lips to my neck where he kissed lightly. My head tilted back as I felt him run his lips down to my collar bone. I felt the dizziness of intoxication flow through me. I reached out and began to un button the top of his shirt. He quickly pulled back and looked at me questioningly.

"Please." I nodded.

His eyes were heavy with passion but laced with doubt. "Elena?"

I quickly put my finger to his lips.

"Yes, Damon. I want this." I whispered. He exhaled sharply and met my lips again with a new wildness I had never felt before. We sank to the ground, cloths began to fall around us. I felt his hands everywhere. The intensity of the way he moved was the most overwhelming thing I had ever known. It was freeing and so uncontrolled. The quietest moan sounded next to my ear and I knew in that moment when I was stricken with the most newly born feeling imaginable under the pressure of his body that I was in trouble. I was in trouble because I didn't know how I would ever be able to let go of this feeling.

**Even if your not usually one to leave reviews please do, I really appreciate it. It helps fuel the fire to write. Thanks for reading :D**

**Alexis **


	5. In Trouble

A while later Damon laid there over me running his hand lightly through my hair. He was looking over me in wonder as if he was seeing me for the first time. I felt a peace wash over me like I had never felt. It was like we were in a place that didn't belong to the rest of the world. It was just me and Damon. The crickets and small sounds of the night were playing their symphonies,the moonlight illuminating patches of forest around us. Then Damon looked of to the side seeming to be listening to something that was obviously not audible to my ears.

"Stefan is looking for you." He said. As soon as he mentioned Stefan's name a flood of terror hit me like a bomb going off.

"Oh my god." I sat up grasping at the cloths around me. Suddenly that disconnected un worldy place shattered leaving behind the remnants of the ugly truth behind it. I had slept with Damon, I had done something I swore I would never do and had been fighting for so long. I had given into Damon. How could I have done this? I jumped up and down trying to get my jeans back on. I reached down and grabbed my shirt and then I caught Damon standing there looking at me. He had a strange look on his face like he was questioning my hurry. I knew he was hurt. I knew he was truly hoping that this was it for us, that our time had come. But that just wasn't the truth and he was beginning to understand that.

I threw on my blouse and noticed Damon had already gotten dressed before I knew it.

"Elena?" He said. I looked up at him. He was looking for some kind of answer as to what was going to happen. I didn't know what to say. My heart felt torn to pieces. I had to get to Stefan before he saw us together but I could not stand to see the look on Damon's face.

"Damon, please. I'm so sorry." I whispered. I took off running towards where the party was. After a minute I stopped gasping for air from running. I realized I had a lot more ground to cover and that I was getting nowhere fast. Damon appeared at my side not struggling at all with catching his breath. He stood like a statue, his eyes looked distant and weary.

He shook his head and sighed. "Just come here." He said holding his arms out.

"No, Damon..just stop it..please." I argued.

"I'm not trying anything Elena! I'm just trying to get you back to Stefan faster. Now just come here." He snapped.

He Picked me up and took off running. Everything went by in a blur. I turned my face into his chest. Suddenly he came to a stop and my feet touched the ground.

"Right through those trees. That's where Stefan is." He said quietly. I didn't even bother looking back to him. I couldn't stand to see what face he was making.

"Thanks." I said as I began walking briskly in the direction he showed me.

I made it through the tree's and into the clearing.

"Elena." Stefan said when he saw me. He walked over. "I was looking for you."

"How's Chris?" I asked on auto pilot. I felt like I was an actress on a stage...playing a part.

"He lost a lot of blood, but he's going to be okay." He said.

I nodded.

"Were you heading back to the party?" He asked.

"No..um...I just want to go home." I said. I turned for my car before Stefan could say anything else. I had to get out of there and get back to the house where I could be alone. I was in shock over what had just happened and it was all so crazy it already felt like a distant memory, a figment of my imagination.

"Elena." Stefan said, his hand suddenly rested on my shoulder. It was like fire meeting my skin. I couldn't stand his touch, not after Damon's hands had been all over me not that long ago. I couldn't believe myself.

I turned to meet his questioning gaze.

"Yeah?"

"What's wrong?" He demanded.

"Nothing Stefan, I just really want to go home." I said again. I walked forward letting Stefan's hand fall off my shoulder and fall to his side. I walked briskly to my car and got in.

By the time I made out to the road I erupted in tears. After a couple of miles I pulled over and rested my head on the steering wheel letting the sobs escape. I gasped for air in between trying to come to a conclusion of the wreckless thoughts and visions flying around in my mind. I felt guilt and shame but worst of all...I felt heartache. I couldn't stop running the visions of Damon through my head. Flashes of his eyes sweeping across my body, his hands across my skin...the way it felt when he kissed me and the most horrible...the look on his face as I walked away from him.

I finally made it home. I walked through the door and made my way towards the kitchen looking for Jenna. Instead I saw a note on the counter.

**Elena,**

**On a date with Alaric! Awesome, right? Don't wait up sweetie and make sure Jeremy doesn't do anything to burn the house down. I love you!**

**Jenna**

I smiled weakly. I was glad Jenna and Alaric were finally going out. He was a good guy. She deserved him and to be happy. My eyelashes were still soaked and cold with tears. They were swollen and sore. I went and opened the linen closet in the entrance hallway to the house and pulled out the light purple knitted blanket out and made my way to the couch. I turned on the television and found an old re-run of Dawson's Creek. Only I didn't pay attention to a minute of it. I was wrecked with emotions. Every once and a while tears would wail up and run down my face. I couldn't believe this all started with Stefan kissing Katherine. Look what I did...it would never compare. How could I betray him this way?

"Elena, what's going on?" I heard Jeremy say. I looked up and noticed him standing there with alarm on his face.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You have the purple blanket out. You only do that in times of crisis. The last time I saw it was when Mom and Dad died." He said, his eyes narrowed with the sting of mentioning our parents. But that's all it took. I opened my mouth to speak but instead I erupted all over again with gut wrenching tears.

Jeremy made his way over to me in a matter of seconds.

"Hey, hey..it's okay" He said, sitting down next to me and wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

I laid over on Jeremy and let the tears come harder. He rubbed my back knowing me well enough not to ask anymore questions. He knew how I felt about talking about why I'm crying while I'm actually crying.

Eventually we both fell asleep on the couch.

**The Boarding House (The Next Day)**

Stefan walked into the living room finding Damon downing a glass of scotch.

"It's barely the afternoon. Early start for drinking today?" Stefan asked.

Damon slammed the glass down. "Actually Stefan, I started several hours ago." Damon said looking more annoyed then amused.

"You look kind of bad, are you okay?" Stefan said noticing Damon looking a little disheveled.

"I had kind of a long night." Damon snapped. Grabbing his jacket off the counter.

Stefan's brows pulled together noticing Damon's comebacks weren't filled with wit as they usually were but were just cold and snappy.

"Where are you heading to?" Stefan asked.

Damon shrugged into his jacket tugging on the front to straighten it. "I've been summoned to the council...I guess that geek Caroline punctured last night is raising more questions. Either that or...I'll be voted off the island...who knows." Damon said making an effort to smile.

Stefan's eyes narrowed. "Hmm, I guess so." He said grabbing his keys.

"Where are you going?" Damon said looking at the keys in Stefan's hand.

"I'm going over to Elena's. I'm going to make her talk this through with me. It's time for us to put all this behind us." Stefan said.

"Mmm...well. Good luck with that." Damon said as he quickly turned and left.

**Elena**

I was still so tired. I spent the day hulled up in my room listening to music and trying to study for a test coming up. I could hardly concentrate. Images flashed in my mind every few minutes causing me to lose all focus. I kept seeing Damon. His eyes, his body, his hands on me. My stomach was knotting up with guilt, but it was the tugging at my heart that kept getting to me. I didn't understand the feeling and I felt like there was a realization in the back of my mind that just wasn't coming into focus. I hoped somehow that it never would.

"Hey." I heard behind me.

I turned to see Stefan standing behind me. "Oh,hey." I said. I felt my heart picking up in pace. I couldn't face him right now.

"Look, Elena. I miss you. I can't deal without you anymore. I know you said you needed a little time but...why? Why wait? I love you, I miss you. We can get through this." Stefan said walking across the floor to me.

He threw his arms around me. I let him, but it was hard. I felt like if he held me too close he would discover the truth somehow. I had to make a decision. It wasn't a matter of being with Stefan or not, it was more of a matter of whether to tell him the truth or not about Damon. But when I thought about the reality of actually telling him I shuddered at the thought. I couldn't start a tidal wave of hate between Damon and Stefan...not like Katherine did. They argued and they went back and forth all the time but they still cared for each other. Even if they both hated to admit it, they were brothers and they loved each other as such.

Suddenly I realized that to be happy again, to find any kind of peace I was going to have to put these mistakes behind me and move on. I knew I was going to hurt Damon but Stefan came first to me, he always had and he always would. I wouldn't tell Stefan what had happened between Damon and I for their relationships sake. I looked up to Stefan forcing a smile.

"Okay, your right." I said.

"Really?" He said, smiling brightly. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry for everything." I said hugging him close.

"Please...I'm the one that's sorry and I always will be for that mistake Elena." He said.

He kissed me once on the forehead and then he kissed me lightly on the lips. It took all my effort to hold it at all. I felt sick.

Stefan's cell phone rang. He picked it up and put it on speaker phone. I guess his guilt with Katherine was making him more then honest and open. But to my horror I heard Damon's voice on the line.

"Hello?" Stefan said.

"Hey...could you come home? Like now?" Damon asked.

"What's going on?" Stefan sounded concerned.

"I came home to find a certain little blonde here having a meltdown...her mother is bound and determined to find the vampire that's responsible for this and...well...barbie is the one to blame so...if you could come home that would be great...otherwise I'm gong with my original plan." Damon said sharply. Then the line went silent as he hung up.

I looked up at Stefan in alarm, trying to ignore the fleeting feeling in my stomach from hearing Damon's voice.

"Ugh, come on, we better go." Stefan said dropping his phone in his pocket.

WE! There was no way I could be in the room with both Damon and Stefan at the same time yet.

"NO...um ...I have to stay and study." I said as if it was the most important thing at the time.

"Oh, come on...I have to go take care of Caroline's crisis...you're her friend...she needs you. Plus it would be good to have you around the house again." He smiled sweetly.

I realized that from now until I could get over all of this, I was going to have to act as normal as possible and I knew that going along to help Caroline was the closest to normal as I could get.

"Okay, fine." I nodded...feeling like I was about to get sick.

We made it to the Boarding House way quicker than usual it felt like. Stefan parked the car and got out quickly. Suddenly my body froze against my will. I was afraid to move another inch. I couldn't see Damon's face yet. Stefan came around to my side and opened the door with a concerned expression.

"Come on, Elena" He said. I took a deep breath and forced myself out of the car.

ACT NATURAL! I screamed in my own head.

We made it to the door and Stefan walked in ahead of me.

"Finally. I was about to commit to my plan." I heard Damon say. My stomach wound itself into knots as I made my way in.

Stefan walked over to the distressed Caroline on the couch. As I walked in Damon's eyes landed right on me. A flood of images from the night before hit my thoughts and my face grew hot. He stared so deeply at me that I felt suddenly like I was going to pass out.

"Caroline don't worry. You just need more training about being around humans...will get it worked out okay?" Stefan assured Caroline.

She nodded, her face swollen with tears.

I looked away from Damon for a second but then looked back as if out of my control. He looked away from me this time. Suddenly I was struck with a strange urge and the revelation that I was concentrating so hard on keeping at bay was nagging again at the back of my mind.

IGNORE IT! I screamed again in my own head.

"I think the best thing right now is to take you out to the woods to hunt...animals." Stefan said softly to Caroline.

She nodded. "Okay." She agreed weakly.

"I'll go!" I almost shouted awkwardly. Stefan turned and looked at me.

"No, I'm sorry but it would probably be best if it was just the two of us. I wish you could though." He said making a mocked face of immense sadness. He crossed the room and kissed me on the forehead. I cringed as I saw Damon's face flinch as he looked away.

"It would be best for you just to stay here. I'm sorry." Stefan said.

"No...no it's ….it's fine." I said, knowing it was the worst thing possible to leave me alone with Damon.

"It won't take too long, hopefully." Stefan said.

I nodded looking at Caroline who had her hands folded in her lap in complete agony.

Stefan and Caroline left closing the door behind them. Damon and I stood, staring at each other in silence until the sound of the car faded in the distance.

"So, you guys kissed and made up?" He asked, his eyes bright with pain and a hint of fury.

"Yes." I barely whispered.

All the sudden I was moving in a blur and Damon had me against the wall, his lips running down my neck. He looked up, his eyes burning into mine.

"Well, congrats." he said in heavy passion. His lips crashed into mine and I excepted it eagerly.

I knew I was in trouble...

**Reviews! :D **


	6. Love And Other Things

**Quick note: Please be advised that there is adult content in this chapter. Also on another note the last part of this chapter was written to The River Has Run Wild by Mads Langer. Which you will recognize as being on Vampire Diaries recently. It's not technically released yet so unfortunately you can only find it on youtube. But I recommend it for anyone who is intrested :D Please o please enjoy!**

**Alexis**

I felt my whole body melt into a liquid state between him and the wall, my weight supported by nothing but his arms wrapped around my waist. His lips searched mine lightly for a second and then he was back to the wild kissing, his tongue searching every angle of mine. My knees were weak, my hands were trembling out of control as I dug my fingers into the back of his neck. Once again the shock of reality and guilt came crashing in on me and I pushed as hard as I could on his chest. He took a couple of steps back as I felt my feet tingle with the full force of my weight.

"Stop it, Damon." I could barely get the words out, my voice was so shaky.

He flashed a dazzling smile. "Now Elena...that's not what you said last night." He said batting his eyes the way that makes me crazy.

Once again the flashes of the night before hit my mind.

"Just ..stop." I said. I took off from against the wall, running for the stairs to get to Stefan's room. Before I knew what was happening I felt Damon's arms catch me, my feet completely left the floor and everything around me blurred until Damon and I both went crashing into the couch. He had moved like a true wild hunter taking down his pray. I found myself laying under him, his face a mere two inches from mine.

Then it all began again. He kissed down my neck, sending chills through me. My heart hammered in my chest and the butterflies caused a debilitating weakness. I slid my hands under his dark red cotton T feeling the smoothness of the lean muscles on his stomach. I felt his cool hand slide up my thigh underneath the knee length jean skirt I wore and twist his finger around the string on the side of my underwear. Then they began to slide down slowly. I breathed in his scent deeply by his hair and his neck. It was the most intoxicating scent. Like the smell of rain and cinnamon. _No! What am I doing! _I grabbed my underwear back up and pushed back on his shoulders. This time he wasn't amused.

"What?" He asked. Searching my eyes.

"I can't do this, Damon." I said.

"You can't, or wont?" He asked leaning down lightly kissing my neck again.

"Damon, seriously. I'm not leaving Stefan." I snapped. He looked back up.

"What are you under some kind of contract?" He asked sarcastically.

"I'm not leaving him." I said again as seriously as I could.

"Yeah? We'll see about that." He smiled.

I rolled my eyes but he ignored me suddenly pushing my shirt up under my neck and kissing my stomach lightly. The weakness that tied my body down was too much for me to fight anymore and as he pushed my skirt up around my waist and touched his lips to my inner thigh moving upwards slowly I couldn't help but to sigh his name as my head snapped back in pleasure.

Not too long later, Damon snapped out of it and began to put me back together in my cloths. He straightened his cloths up a little and in a flash he was across the room pouring a glass of scotch leaving me sitting on the couch in a daze when Stefan and Caroline returned.

"How did it go?" Damon asked, his voice low and husky.

"I just can't stand killing little animals." Caroline pouted crossing her arms and sitting on the couch next to me.

"Mmm, people are much easier to kill. Most of them are assholes anyways." Damon shrugged leaning against the bar.

"Damon, that's actually no help at all, thank you." Stefan said shaking his head. "I was thinking more along the lines of maybe Caroline being around you and Bonnie more." Stefan said looking at me. "Get used to the human scent being around her a lot." Stefan said.

"Yes, yes! Let's use Elena as a practice chew toy for Caroline. Excellent idea. Very responsible." Damon winked at Stefan sarcastically, flashing the O.K sign with his hand.

Stefan looked up at Damon, his face stern and serious. "I'll be there watching and the last thing I need is responsibility advice from a recreational serial killer." Stefan snapped back at Damon.

All the sudden Damon was standing in front of Stefan his hands around his neck.

"No...the last thing you need is for me to snap your neck, little brother." Damon said practically choking Stefan but he had a calm cool smile on his face.

"Damon cut it out." I ordered. Damon released him. "And Stefan, don't get so snappy with Damon either...he was just worried about me...and Bonnies...safety." I tried to add to the end. "But if you think that will work then by all means." I said.

"Look, I'll get her trained...quickly...so then we can not have to worry about this anymore." Damon said looking slightly annoyed.

"Are you kidding Damon? The only idea you had to offer as of this evening was to kill her." Stefan said.

"It's the better idea! I mean geeez." Damon shook his head in sarcastic exasperation. "But seriously, I'm the best candidate to train her quickly, minus the death threat. I go back and forth Stefan...I drink human blood when I want to..there ARE no accidents involved. I have more control than you Stefan. If you'll remember your little breakdown not that too long ago when you fell off the bandwagon and started attacking little girls in pretty dresses. You were worse than Courtney Love on her worst days. Not...pretty." Damon shook his head.

"Stefan...he's kind of right. He might be able to really help her out." I said.

Stefan nodded.

"Don't screw this up Damon." Stefan warned.

Damon walked over to Caroline and leaned down resting his palms on his knees. "Okay, let's do this. And if your really good...we'll track down two people in a dark alley and -"

"Damon!" Stefan snapped.

Damon laughed. "Let's go barbie." He said. As Damon made his way out of the door. He called back. "I guess I'll see you later on tonight." He said, all of us assuming he was talking to Stefan. But then he turned and smiled lightly at me walking out of the door.

Once they left the house Stefan sighed and put his arm around me on the couch pulling me close. "Sorry about having to leave." He said. "But I'm so glad your here." He smiled kissing me on top of my head. A horrible twist of my stomach hit and I just nodded burying my face in his chest to hide my expression. I sighed deeply in complete devastation. "You okay?" He asked leaning back to look a my face.

"Yeah, I'm fine..I'm just really tired." I said hoping he would just take me home.

"Well, let's go upstairs...we can just lay down and relax." He said smiling like it was the best idea in the world. I just nodded again. We got up and made our way upstairs and into Stefan's room. I looked around the room. It was so familiar, like a second home. But yet I felt like I hadn't seen it for years. It felt so far away. He sat down on the edge of the bed. While I just stood there awkwardly looking at him. He smiled at me sweetly.

"You have no idea how good it feels to have you here again. I missed you so much." He said. I walked over to him and he pulled me down into his arms. He kissed me lightly. I was fighting tears. It seemed that every time I was with Stefan I truly remembered how much I loved him and felt firm in my decision to cut off everything with this newly found fling with Damon. But I also knew that every time I was with Damon my head was clouded and there was nothing else and no one else in this world but him and I. It was always like a dream made up of our very own world where it was just him and I. I thought back to Damon's harsh words he had said on my doorstep several nights ago. _You and Katherine have a lot more in common than just you're looks. _He was right. Stefan pulled me back into the bed until we were both laying down. I laid my head on his chest and started re creating Stefan and my relationship from the beginning. The first day, the first kiss, the first time we made love after I found out what he was. Then a flash of Damon's eyes and I nearly whimpered in pain.

"Damon's going to drive me crazy." Stefan suddenly said pulling me out of my own insanity.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"He's on a mission with the Lockwoods. I mean I guess it drives him crazy cause he's not used to having to be scared of something. And I'll admit...we're both a little scared. But you know Damon...he's going to wind up making this more dangerous than it needs to be." Stefan explained.

"Yeah probably." I smiled. Stefan laughed a little. He reached down and lifted my chin kissing me lightly. It got deeper and deeper until finally I pulled away not being able to go on. "They are about to start the events held in Mayor Lockwoods name. From what I heard it will be charity events lined up for a few days, kind of like Founders day things." He explained.

I sighed. "When are we not having events in this town?" I said. We both laughed lightly. He pulled me in closer and soon enough we both fell asleep.

"Elena." I heard Stefan say as he woke me. "I should probably get you home." He said softly.

I opened my eyes all the way noticing that it was almost night time. I sat up groggily taking the hairband off of my wrist and throwing my hair into a pony tail. We got downstairs and out to the car. The ride home was relaxed as Stefan talked about Caroline and his concerns about her becoming a functioning vampire.

He walked me up to the porch. I couldn't help but to think about Damon kissing me right in that spot only a few nights before.

"Thank you for forgiving me Elena." Stefan said reaching out to hug me close. "I'm so glad that everything is okay now." He said. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to block out the sick irony of his comment.

"I missed you." I said. It was the truth. I missed him even when he was inches away from me because it just wasn't the same and all I wanted was to be able to go back and have everything back to normal.

He leaned down and kissed me, for what seemed like forever.

"Goodnight." He smiled. I smiled and left him on the porch walking inside to see Jenna and Alaric on the couch watching a movie with an over sized bowl of popcorn. It was cute.

"Hey there Elena." Alaric greeted me as I walked in. Jenna turned smiling brightly in my direction.

"Hey you guys." I smiled back. I took off my sweater and hung it over my arm. "I'm going to go ahead and get to bed." I told them.

"Alright, night Elena." Jenna said.

"Goodnight." I nodded.

I made it to my room and threw my sweater on the bed as I laid down. I sighed deeply. Already the events that transpired between myself and Damon today seemed like a distant memory and my mind was clear to think. I didn't know if Damon was really coming here tonight but I knew what had to be done. I knew I needed to tell him that this had to stop. That there would be no more of this. I had a relationship to protect and regrow out of this. That's what I was going to do. I would stick to it because I am Elena Gilbert and I'm better than this. The only reason that I thought there might be possible chance to get through this eventually was that I was still in high school and even though my circumstances were way out of the norm I had to give myself room to make mistakes every once and a while.

I got up and locked my bedroom door and went and changed into a tank top and shorts for bed. I picked up my diary and wrote viciously about everything that had transpired over the last several days. I even wrote about my plan to end it. To make sure that it never happened again because I loved Stefan and I wouldn't let this ruin us. Suddenly that feeling that there was something lurking in the back of my mind tried to surface. I shook away the thoughts. I didn't want to know...whatever it was that was trying to make it's way into my conscious thoughts.

I put the diary down and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I washed my mouth out and headed back into the bedroom when I found him standing there by my bed in all his absolute beautiful glory.

I walked briskly across the room. "Look Damon, this has got to stop. I mean it. I'm sorry I let my guard down, I'm sorry I allowed this to happen but it's going to stop. I mean it." I said walking within a few inches of him. The expression on his face threw me off. It wasn't arrogant or amused it was just peaceful and ….caring.

He laid his hand lightly on the side of my face. "You're beautiful." He said quietly. He bent down pressing his forehead to mine and looking into my eyes for a second before his lips met mine becoming all too familiar now. And there I was, again. He kissed me until it became bursts of deep kissing. Once again, my whole body went weak and as if the world had already separated from the rest we were back in our perfect, safe bubble that belonged only to me and Damon. He laid me down on the bed softly and continued to kiss me without hesitation. I excepted it, I wanted it. He pulled my tank top off, letting it fall to the floor. He ran one cool hand down my neck and across my breast. I pulled the bottom of his shirt until it slipped off and I threw it to the ground. His lips returned quickly and then my body set ablaze when I felt him sliding my shorts off. Once they were gone, I laid there completely naked under him. The intensity of the moment felt like an energy so grand and sharp that I was surprised there wasn't the blue lights of literal electricity at our touch.

He kicked off his jeans and wrapped his body with mine. He explored every angle of my body with his hands. He took me so passionately and so strongly that I had to concentrate on keeping quiet. I had never in my entire life felt like this. Bliss. I remember feeling us soaked in sweat. Feeling like I was so weak I'd never be able to move again but yet so alive and vibrant.

After a while he laid his ear to my chest listening to the rapid beats of my heart against my chest. He smiled weakly. He pulled himself back up looking into my eyes. Tears began to form rapidly pooling up and streaming down the sides of my face. But they were tears I had never cried before. The kind of tears you cry from beauty, from seeing a baby born for the first time. They were tears of profound amazement.

"Elena." He whispered. His face so full of intensity as he looked over me. He wiped a tear away with a swipe of his thumb. Then he looked over me again. He really looked at me. When his eyes met mine again a feeling tore through me that I would never be able to truly explain. I saw the gentleness in his eyes. The complete care and admiration. He leaned down to kiss me lightly on the forehead. Because then...against all of my fighting and all of my internal struggle. That nagging thought in the back of my head came rushing out in my mind, standing center stage with a spot light on it. This wasn't just sex. This ...was love.

**Thank you so much for all the reviews last chapter. You have no idea how much quicker I get started on the next chapter when I see how everyone feels about it. So please, leave reviews for this as well. Thank you so much! Let me know! :D**


	7. Friends With Benefits

The room was washed over with the pale light of the moon. I laid in the bed, my eyes drifting closed as I concentrated on the feel of Damon drawing little circle patterns on my back. I still couldn't believe the surreal feeling I got in these times. I was laying there twisted in sheets, comfortable and warm with Damon at my side. Although I couldn't see his face, I imagined it, so calm and serene. His beauty was heartbreaking which matched the other half of my blissful mood. I had a war going on inside me that was trying to break through the safe and comfortable cage of euphoria that was wrapped around me.

I sighed deeply.

"Try to sleep, Elena." He said quietly stroking the side of my hair once before returning to his finger tracing on my back.

"It's not easy to...my mind is on overload." I told him.

"What's on your mind?" He spoke so softly his voice was like a lullaby.

_I wanted to tell him that I thought I was falling in love with him. I wondered if he loved me...but I didn't. _

_ "_I just can't believe the last few days. It's just …. everything has always felt so complicated but now I feel like it's more complicated than I ever thought possible." I explained.

He was silent for a few moments.

"I guess I could be the blame for that." He said, still turning his fingers around in loops across my back.

"No..no I just. I miss everything being simple. It seems like ever since Stefan kissed Katherine everything has been going downhill." I said.

"Downhill." He repeated almost in a whisper.

We were both silent for a few minutes. That's when the horror struck me. I had just realized what I had said to Damon and I realized how heartless it sounded. I'm laying here coming to terms with the fact that I love Damon Salvatore and I had just told him my life was falling apart with him in it. I didn't mention that the complication was knowing I felt like I was in heaven when I was with him.

"Damon, I'm sorry." I started to say.

"No...no...you told me you loved Stefan..you asked me to leave you alone." He said. I heard him laugh almost silently for a quick second. "I don't know why I came here, or what I thought was going to happen." He said.

I was glad he couldn't see my face because tears were now streaming from my eyes. I couldn't believe how I had acted. I guess I just hadn't had time to understand or except this soft, gentle side of Damon. I had to tell him the truth. That I was struggling with feelings now that I never thought I'd have. That maybe the tension between us since I first met him wasn't only about attraction, that maybe it was more than that. I didn't care if he saw me crying anymore, I had to tell him.

I turned to face him, but he wasn't there. I was only met by the open window and the curtains hovering like ghost in the breeze. He ...was gone. I got up and ran to the window looking out over the yard. He was no where to be seen.

"Damon." I whispered as loud as I could. But I was left with nothing but silence, and my guilt, frustration and selfishness. I sank to the floor, crying silently. Letting tears run down my face, my neck. I didn't know what to do, I did love Stefan, maybe not in the way that I thought...but I did love him. But this feeling with Damon...it was a whole new world of feelings I had never known about. I knew at least in that moment, all I wanted was for him to be back at my side. I just wanted him near me. But I had messed that up.

A couple of days had passed since that night. I didn't see Damon around at all, but I had heard through Stefan's completely unaware chit chat that Damon had buried himself deep in more research about the werewolves. That he seemed to be drowning himself in it. Although Stefan seemed to be surprised about it, I definitely wasn't...I knew he was just trying to distract himself.

It was an early Saturday morning, I was up baking brownies for a bake sale at the school later on that day. It was the first football game of the season and Stefan had come over to help me make them. We stood in the kitchen talking about nothing in particular, mixing a huge bowl of brownie mix.

"So have you heard anything more out of Katherine?" I asked licking a small amount of mix off of the beater.

"Nothing. Could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on what she's up to now." Stefan answered.

I nodded, getting out a pan to pour the mix into. I somehow had began to feel relaxed enough to act normal around Stefan again. I guess the heartache I felt had become greater then the guilt so it was easier. I looked for comfort in Stefan without him even realizing it. Things were in full swing at school again so it helped to make the distractions. Football was starting back up again, I was helping with a bake sale and the events were about to start for the charity run In Mayor Lockwoods honor. At first I thought this was all going to be a nightmare and that the last thing I had energy for mentally or physically was more town events. But now that it was happening I was very thankful for something to keep me from going crazy.

"Hey Elena, oh looks good." Jenna said smiling at the brownie mix ready to be put in the oven.

"Hey Jenna. Are you going to the game?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm going to meet Alaric for lunch and then were going to head to the school." Jenna said, almost bouncing with excitement.

"Have fun." I smiled at her.

"Thanks and OH..Stefan...good luck tonight." Jenna nodded.

"Thanks Jenna." He smiled sweetly as she walked out to leave.

"Good luck?" I asked turning to look at him. He smiled shrugged.

"Well, it was going to be a surprise but...I'll be starting for the team tonight." Stefan said.

"Omigod, you're playing football again?" I asked smiling.

"Yeah, I figured it would be a good time for both of us. Maybe you should get back to cheer-leading." He said smiling touching his forehead to mine. He kissed me lightly and quickly.

"Please...yeah right. I mean what would I do without Caroline as my captain?" We laughed.

After Stefan left to get to the school and I had a fresh batch of warm brownies ready I went upstairs to take a shower. On my way in the room I noticed something laying right underneath the foot of my bed that I hadn't noticed yet. I reached down and picked it up. It was the thin dark pullover Damon had over his shirt a couple of nights ago. It had gotten kicked under the bed and forgotten. Without even thinking I held it to my face breathing in his scent that was left behind. The woodsy, scent of rain and a slight touch of cinnamon. A sob ripped through my throat before I even knew it was coming. I laid on the bed with the sweater balled in my arms.

Finally when the sobbing became crying and then the crying became sniffling. I made it to the shower.

A few hours later I finally made it to the high school. People were everywhere on the campus. There was the football players warming up for the game, the bake sale, the cheerleaders running about and everyone else who was there to enjoy it.

I found the bake sale table and set the brownies down.

"Mmm, nice." Bonnie said smiling when she saw what I had.

"Yup...used my moms recipe." I said. Bonnie smiled sweetly.

"It's so crowded tonight." Bonnie said as we looked out into the chaos. We were right inside the gym. We could here the deep pounding of the band getting ready for the game.

I noticed a large group of people standing in the middle of the gym talking to a lot of our classmates. They weren't exactly fully grown adults but they weren't exactly high school age either.

"Who are they?" I asked Bonnie nodding towards the crowd.

"Oh, that's a bunch of college kids from further up north. They are going to be here for a little, trying to recruit some of our senior class to join them." She smiled brightly. I knew she was excited about going to college just as much as I was.

Suddenly a crash sounded out at the end of the table and Bonnie and I turned our attention to see what had happened. A girl stood at the end had knocked a plate of cookies to the floor and she stood with her hands to her mouth in shock. I walked over and helped her as she began scrambling to pick it all up.

"I am so sorry." She said. I could tell she wasn't from our school, most likely one of the college girls. She was very pretty, with soft tan skin and light brown hair that tumbled down her shoulders.

"Oh it's fine, it happens." I comforted her. We got it back up onto the table.

"Oh, I am so embarrassed, I can be so clumsy sometimes." She smiled.

"I'm Elena." I said smiling and offering my hand.

"Hi Elena, I'm Charlotte . I from the college." She shook my hand.

"This is Bonnie." I introduced her as she came up beside me. Charlotte was much prettier than I had even noticed before. Her hazel eyes were so light they sparkled. She had perfect white teeth and a button nose. She looked like a doll.

She began to look around frantically.

"Looking for something?" I asked.

"Oh, it's just this guy I saw just a few minutes ago. He was standing by the door and he was so gorgeous. I was hoping he didn't just see this disaster." She laughed. Bonnie and I laughed as well watching her face grow red.

"Hopefully he missed it." Bonnie said.

"So are you planning on going to the university up north?" Charlotte asked seeming hopeful.

I went to answer when her face went completely tensed but she smiled brightly over my shoulder.

"Omigod, it's him." She said brushing her shirt off frantically and then looking back up.

I turned and to my pain staking horror it was Damon, who was walking towards us.

He met my face and smiled tightly almost distantly. He made it up to the table.

"Hey. Have you seen Alaric here?" He asked.

"No." Was all I could say. I couldn't believe he was standing in front of me after over 48 hours of nothing from him at all.

"Hi! I'm Charlotte." She said overly giddy sticking her hand out to Damon. Damon's eyes lingered on me for one second before he turned to Charlotte.

"Damon." He said nodding once and shaking her hand.

"You don't go to our college do you?" She asked. "You don't look like your in high school really." Charlotte asked.

"I did a while ago. Might go back...who knows." Damon said.

She nodded, a huge flirtatious smile spreading across her face.

"Hey Elena." I suddenly heard Stefan beside me. I turned to find him in full dress for the game.

"Hey." I forced a smile. "You look great." I said.

"Thanks, just wanted to get a kiss before the game." He said leaning in and kissing me way more then I could handle in the moment.

"Awwwww." I heard Charlotte coo behind me. "Aren't you guys just so cute?" She squealed.

"Oh! Just adorable." Damon muttered sarcastically. I pulled away from Stefan.

"Good luck." I smiled trying to get him to leave. He kissed me again on my forehead as I saw Damon flinch and look down to the floor. Once Stefan was gone I stood there awkwardly watching Charlotte chatter to Damon while he stood there looking darkly amused by her over baring flirting. Finally a few minutes later one of Charlotte's friends called her back over to their group but before I could turn to Damon he was slinking off to the back of the gym heading into the back hallway and equipment room. I looked over and saw Bonnie talking to someone else.

"Hey I'll be right back." I told her. I made my way through the crowd. I had to talk to Damon alone and this might have been my only chance tonight. I made it to the back and through the door.

"Damon?" I called looking around.

The door shut.

"Yes?" I heard him behind me. It was small and cramped in the room and I felt shamed that I was finally speaking to him in these conditions.

"Hey...Damon. I'm so sorry about the other night. I didn't mean it like it-"

He put a finger up signaling me to stop.

"Elena, seriously. I'm a big boy. I can handle rejection. I mean...you played fair...you told me what you were and were not going to do...I understood the rules but played against them anyway."

"No, you don't understand." I said.

"No...I do, Elena. We're friends. That's okay." He said walking up to me. When he was no more than an inch from me a wicked smile began to spread across his face.

"But you know where I am, and I'll be there whenever you want me. I can definitely swing for friends with benefits." He purred in my ear. Suddenly he was kissing me. I of course didn't object. He pressed his mouth into mine and kissed me hard. I began walking backwards and I tripped on some gym equipment. Damon caught my fall but let me hit the wall behind me. His hands were pulling at my cloths, slipping under my shirt. I grabbed at the back of his hair when I noticed that all of this was different this time. This time...he was angry...and I could tell from the way we were kissing and touching. He was very angry. He slid his lips down my neck and squeezed hard on my chest. He crashed his mouth back into mine again as I felt his hand snaking down the small of my back. He looked back up to me and I saw the dark traces around his eyes, where his thirst was taking over. He leaned down anyway putting his mouth to mine and I touched the tip of my tongue to his sharp growing canines. I sighed out loud and that was all he could take. His face darkened completely and he ripped open the top of my shirt and sank his teeth into the top of my breast under neath my collar bone. It was the most warm and sensual sensation and I was in heaven. I leaned my head back and couldn't help but to smile.

"Get away from her!" We heard someone scream. Damon looked up at me, his face quickly snapping to normal. I looked behind us and gasped when I saw Bonnie standing there with horror stricken on her face.

"Bonnie." I barely could whisper. That's when I saw her taking in the real scene. She saw my shirt hanging, he way my hands still grasped frozen on his waist. She knew then, that he wasn't attacking me, that it was mutual.

"Oh...my ..god." She gasped. She shook her head and took off running. I wiped the blood off of my chest and buttoned up my shirt as quick as I could. I took off after her. Damon grabbed my arm and I looked back at him. His face looked cold and distant. He released my hand, almost causing me to fall and he was suddenly gone. I took off running again. I had to find Bonnie.

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	8. Damon Is My Home

I searched frantically through the crowd in the gym looking for Bonnie but she was nowhere in sight. I ran outside, met by the chaos of the game that was in full swing. I knew Stefan was probably wondering why I wasn't in the stands. I knew that, that would at least buy me time before Bonnie could get to him. I suddenly couldn't help but to be struck with another wave of disbelief. What was happening to me? This started out as a mistake, a lapse in my better judgment that I had always been so careful with. What happened to Stefan and I being the inseparable perfect couple, with Damon on the side lines pissing me off almost everyday for some new reason. Now I was missing the game and zig zagging through the crowd searching for my best friend because she had just seen the last thing she thought that she would ever see, and that was Damon and I together...the last thing I thought I would ever do. I was careful to dodge Caroline and a few girls by the bleachers. I didn't have time to try to act normal...I had to find Bonnie. I raced across the campus and into the parking lot where I finally spotted her bolting for her car.

"Bonnie!" I yelled. I saw her hesitate but then she continued on, recognizing my voice. I ran as hard as my legs would carry me. My legs were aching and my chest was burning. I finally caught up with her. "Bonnie, Please just stop!" I pleaded. She turned around so suddenly I almost ran right into her. I skidded to a stop gasping for air and holding my sides.

"What in the hell is going on, Elena?" She snapped. Her eyes were wide with fury, I could tell she was putting effort into staying as calm as possible.

"Bonnie, I-" I stammered over my words not sure of what to say.

"I've done everything I can to help you, going against my own beliefs of teaming up with vampires, I even brought Grams into it which wound up killing her in the end. I did it all because your my best friend Elena and I love you and I know..or ..KNEW how much you love Stefan!" She said, seething.

"Bonnie, I'm sorry." My voice shook

"You tell Stefan the truth, or I will." She said simply.

"No! Bonnie please...you don't understand." I said taking a staggering step closer to her.

"Then, help me Elena...help me understand why I found you with Damon. Please...enlighten me." She said...she was growing more calm but her fury wasn't fading.

"I do love Stefan..I do. There's just this...feeling I get with Damon. I hated him, he's made me so angry. I considered him a monster...but when I'm with him Bonnie...I." I sank down to the ground leaning against a car. She took a long steadied look at me and sat down next to me.

"Tell me." She said, her voice suddenly a lot softer.

"When I'm with him I feel so peaceful, happy..and safe. He feels like home. It's the feeling I had before my parents died. Like I truly belonged to something...and now I feel it again, with him." I explained.

She sat for a moment taking in my words. Her mouth set in a hard thin line. After a few minutes she took a deep breath and sighed.

"I hate him, Elena. I know he has his charming ways and there's been times I've come close to having faith in him. I can tell your really wrapped up in this, I can tell everything feels like a mess to you right now. I won't tell Stefan and even if you choose not to yourself then fine. But Elena, I'm asking you to let Damon go. I wish you could just date a normal..human guy. But since you seem to draw out ghost, goblins, witches and other mythical creatures I guess I see the reasoning. But Stefan loves you Elena, and honestly he's the best there is for you out of a bad group. Can you please..please just promise me you will let him go?" She asked.

"Yes." I answered, wishing I could believe that. I wish that it was as easy as that. To just move on and carry on as if nothing had happened. But judging from me and Damon's current status that might not be as hard as I imagine.

Bonnie and I decided to go back to the stadium and watch the rest of the game. She even came up with an alibi for me if Stefan wondered why I wasn't there for the first part of the game. Apparently, instead of fooling around with his brother in a gym storage room, Bonnie and I were dealing with a bake sale crisis. Walking back I couldn't help but to remember why Bonnie was my best friend. It was because of times like these, even when she was furious at me, she still always picked up the pieces and took me back in. She was was always there, no matter what.

We found a seat in the bleachers not far down from Jenna and Alaric. She waved excitedly at me. I also noticed Jeremy in the stands, talking to a guy from one of his classes. I looked out over the field and watched the game. Stefan's perfect passes and skilled speed and precision. If only they knew why he was so good. I smiled.

Then my attention zeroed in, when I spotted Damon standing against the end of the bleachers, looking out onto the field. I stared at him, wondering if he knew I was here, or if he was thinking about me. I wanted him to glance up at me just once. I saw someone approach him and he turned to them. I then noticed it was Charlotte. Then my senses went into hyper drive. I watched them like a hawk, I strained to see what she was saying. I couldn't believe I was as jealous as I felt.

**Damon & Charlotte**

"Hi! Damon was it?" Charlotte said walking up beside him.

"In the flesh." Damon answered shortly, glancing at her and then back to the game. He narrowed his eyes watching Stefan's play fail miserably when Lockwood dropped the ball.

"So are you originally from Mystic Falls?" She asked.

"You could say that." He nodded, a small smile playing on his lips.

"So, are you blowing me off or are you usually this distant and mysterious?" She tried to laugh.

"Both." He smiled sarcastically at her.

She nodded, looking hurt. "Gotcha" She said turning to leave.

"Wait." He sighed, rolling his eyes and turning towards her as she stopped and faced him again. "I'm..sorry. I'm having a bad...year." He said.

"Oh, well...I'm sorry." She said, still not sure of what she should do.

He shrugged.

"So what's wrong?" She asked studying his face.

"Come here." He said motioning for her to come closer.

She walked up beside him. He got beside her, and pointed out towards the football field.

"You see that guy out there, number 8?" He asked.

"Yeah." She replied.

"That's my brother." He said.

"Aw, yeah I remember him from earlier. But...what does he have to do with your bad year?" She asked.

"Well, he has something I want. It used to bother me...but now it's just driving me mad." He said.

"What does he have?" She asked.

Damon raised a brow at her and smiled. "I'm afraid I've said to much." He winked.

She laughed.

"Damon Salvatore." Mrs. Lockwood said approaching him.

"Good evening, Carol." Damon nodded to her.

"Are you here watching your brother? He's good." She smiled.

"Yeah, I thought I'd come check him out. How are you by the way? I'm so sorry again for your loss. I know it must be tough." Damon said, as usual showing the up most respect and manners to the council members.

"I'm getting by." She looked at Damon, nodding sincerely. "And who is this beautiful young lady?" She asked looking at Charlotte standing next to him.

""I'm Charlotte." She smiled shaking Carols hand.

"We'll you are just so pretty. Damon...will you be escorting Charlotte to the charity ball tomorrow night? I have to have my Salvatore's there." She smiled.

Damon paused for a second not knowing what to say. He looked at Charlotte who was gleaming with a silent plead in her eyes. He looked back to Carol who was anticipating his answer.

"If she'll give me the pleasure of her company, of course." Damon nodded.

"Oh I'd love to!" Charlotte squealed.

"Well, great! We'll see you two tomorrow night then." Carol smiled brightly. She made her way passed Damon and Charlotte and up to the bleachers to get a seat.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Charlotte asked. Her excitement pausing to make sure.

"Sure." Damon said.

"Yay!" He said clapping her hands excitedly. "Can you come with me? I want to introduce you to a few friends." She said.

Damon nodded letting her take him by the arm and haul him off to her group.

**ELENA**

I nearly came unglued as I watched her hook her arm with his and drag him off. I was about to make some excuse to leave the bleachers so I could see where they were going but then I caught Bonnie staring at me. She had already figured out what I was looking at and her brows were pulled together with a silent scolding. I just looked back down at the field and tried to concentrate on the game.

After the game was over Stefan found me and Bonnie standing by the field.

"Hey, good job!" I smiled, trying to sound as amused as possible.

"Thanks." Stefan smiled taking off his helmet and kissing me. "There's a bunch of us going to the Mystic Grill to celebrate the win. You're coming right?" He asked. I wanted to tell him no, that I just wanted to go home and crawl in bed and hide under the covers forever. But as I glanced over at Bonnie who had her brows raised, a silent warning to do what was right...what was normal, I just nodded and smiled.

Leaving the school I didn't see Damon or Charlotte anywhere. It wasn't until we all made it the grill that I saw them sitting up at the bar with several shot glasses scattered in front of them. As if on cue she giggled loudly as we passed them. Caroline, Matt, Tyler, Bonnie, Stefan and myself got a pool table towards the back. I couldn't handle another minute. There was too much going on that was throwing me off horribly. First..Caroline and Matt being around each other was very awkward. Second, was being around Tyler Lockwood given our recent discovery. Bonnie was in a weird mood after everything that happened and it took all the energy I had to act even mildly focused on what was going on around me and not across the grill where Damon and Charlotte sat. I had no sense of peace or any comfort until almost an hour later. The music was playing, our group was having a blast, it seemed everything was running in fast forward until Damon looked up from the bar and his eyes locked with mine. Then it was as if the world around us was in slow motion. Everyone was carrying on about there fun night, pool was being played, drinks were being drank...but Damon and I just looked at each other , both of us just wanting each other. Everything else was just...

**Damon & Charlotte**

"I am wasted." Charlotte laughed to herself. She looked up to find Damon looking across the room in a completely different world. "I know what it is that you want from your brother." She slurred.

He said nothing...just stared.

"Damon?" She said, trying to get his attention. He turned and looked at her.

"What?" He said.

"I said I know what it is that you want from your brother." She slurred again.

"And what's that?" He asked, not amused.

"You want his girlfriend. Alicia" She smiled.

"It's Elena...and yes...your right." He said tossing down another shot.

"This really puts a damper on my night." She said signaling the bar tender for another shot.

"Why is that?" Damon asked.

"I like you." She smiled.

**ELENA**

I had finally made it home. I ran into my room stripping off my cloths and diving straight into bed as if it would be the cure to my absolute misery. After the night I had, how was I going to be able to put on a dress tomorrow night and pretend to want to dance and mingle with the crowd? I buried my head deep in my pillow. But the bed wouldn't bring the comfort I wanted. I couldn't even cry. I just laid there. Finally my eyes felt a little heavier and I began to drift off. Then I felt his arms wrap around me. I felt him lace his body with mine. Without a word we both fell asleep, finally at peace for at least the night.

**I have a pretty intense chapter lined up for the next one, but I need reviews to make sure Im on track and every one is doing good! Thanks so much for reading and the amazing reviews I've gotten thus far. It very much keeps me on track :D **

**Alexis**


	9. For My Protection

**Hey guys! I've been drinking so please forgive any weird mistakes. Second for anyone who likes a tiny soundtrack to your story the first portion was written to Cinematic Orchestra- To Build A Home. The dance portion was written to Tony Bennett The Way You Look Tonight. I felt like it was something that really set the mood. The last part which is a Delena song favorite of mine is Blue October – She's My Ride Home. **

There is a house built out of stone  
Wooden floors, walls and window sills  
Tables and chairs worn by all of the dust  
This is a place where I don't feel alone  
This is a place where i feel at home

The peace I felt the next morning was euphoric. The morning sun was beginning to peak through my window sending sharp rays of sunshine darting into my room. I felt Damon stir behind me and I turned to see his face as he opened his eyes. They were the lightest I had ever seen them, seemingly silver against the dark frame of his lashes. He smiled closing his eyes again.

"Morning." I smiled, waiting for his eyes to open again, the silver color of them were even more mesmerizing then usual.

"Mmmm, it _is_ a good morning." He smiled, finally opening his eyes again. Silvery blue.

In a flash he had turned, tucking me under him as he propped himself up on his arm looking down at me. He kissed me lightly and leaned back up smiling a small crooked smile.

"I'm glad you came last night." I said, feeling strangely shy.

"I'm sorry I got you in trouble." He said still smiling.

"I'll get by." I said laughing. "Bonnie was pretty mad."

"She's just jealous." Damon said sarcastically shrugging. He leaned down kissing me again, the ends of his hair tickling my face.

"You hair is getting long." I giggled, scrunching my face. He shook his head from side to side purposely tickling the tops of my cheeks.

"Elena." He said In a deep tone. He pulled the sheets over our heads kissing me so deeply I lost feeling in the rest of my body for a second. I looked up at the artful beauty of his face, the billowing cream colored sheets that danced in the background around us. I was beginning to think, this really was love, from both of us, because the Sistine Chapel wasn't _this_ beautiful.

He kissed me from my neck to the top of my breast where the bite mark from the night before was. His silvery eyes flashed up to mine.

"Sorry." He said.

"Don't be." I replied.

"Elena, I-" He paused and suddenly ripped the sheets back. He turned his head at an angle, as he usually did when he was listening intently. He was out of bed in a flash, slipping on cloths and then he disappeared out of sight before I even knew what was happening.

"Elena!" I heard Jeremy outside the bedroom door.

"Hold on!" I said. I got out of bed slipping on the long jersey knit top and some gray sweats. "Come in!" I called. Jeremy walked in, his hair was a mess and his eyes were squinted sleepily.

"Hey." He said, his voice hoarse and worn.

"What are you doing up so early?" I asked, glancing at the clock. It was 7:30 am.

"I miss mom and dad." He said standing there looking thoroughly upset. "I had a bad dream." He said heading towards the bed and throwing himself in.

"I'm so sorry Jeremy." I said joining him. I laid there listening as his breathing became even. I realized that even in this sad situation that I was so glad I had him here with me, someone to understand the pain of losing your parents. I also wondered what Damon was about to say...but it wasn't long before I fell asleep, again.

_ I was standing in a thick forest. A heavy wind sent leaves stirring around me, and I could hear the large branches moan and creak in protest. The forest seemed darker than usual, the only light was from the moon that shown down on me like a spotlight. _

_ "Damon?" I whispered. I didn't know what was happening, and all I felt was fear. I felt it rising in me. My heart began to pound. I suddenly felt the presence of something, something I didn't want to be around. That's when I began to make out the faint outlines of something, lurking from out of the shadows around me. There were many of them, creeping slowly towards me. I squinted trying to make out what it was but couldn't. I began to walk backwards, debating on if I should run. I tripped on a tree root behind me and fell. Suddenly I knew the creatures were closing in on me. They were going to get me. _

_ "Damon!" I screamed. I sat up and drew my knees to my face and put my head down. The creatures were right there and I was too afraid to look at them. That's when I heard a break in the trees and a deep jolt in the ground as if something had hit it. I looked up just in time to see Damon crouched protectively over me, one fist to the ground. He was looking down , his dark hair blocking his face. _

_ "Help me." I whispered. Suddenly, two huge black feathered wings spread out on either side of him. They were huge. It was the most mesmerizing thing I had ever seen. He was like a dark winged angel. As I sat and looked at this darkly beautiful image he raised his head slowly looking at me. That's when I saw his eyes were not the normal pools of water blue, they were filled with light, a glowing light. I gasped. _

"Elena." I heard Jeremy say. It took me a second to realize I had been sleeping. I looked over at the clock and realized it was almost 10:30am.

Jeremy was already out of the bed and going towards the door.

"Hey, are you okay Jeremy?" I asked.

He turned and smiled. "I'm alright now, thanks for letting me crash in here." He laughed lightly. I smiled as he left.

I ran downstairs and ate a bowl of cereal as fast as I could. Bonnie would be over soon so we could start getting ready for the dance. I headed back upstairs to jump in the shower. I was about to step in when I saw my phone scooting across the counter as it rang.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey, how is your day?" Stefan asked.

"Good." I answered shutting the water back off and heading into my room. I sat on the window seat. "Jeremy had a bad dream about our parents this morning so...we kind of snuggled like we did when it first happened."

"Ah, is he okay?" He asked.

"Yeah...he's fine. It sneaks up on us sometimes." I told him.

"Look out your window." He said. I leaned over and looked out seeing him standing down below holding a bouquet of roses. "I know I wasn't supposed to bring these until I picked you up for the dance tonight but...I miss you. It's been too busy recently." He smiled.

I smiled down at him. "Come up." I said. I backed up from the window taking a deep breath as he appeared at the window, sliding seamlessly in until he was standing right in front of me. As usual I forced all of the memories with Stefan and I through my head to remind myself why I was still holding on. Even though it was already past a point of reason. It was more of just a matter of being scared of the unknown. Aside from that I was just becoming Katherine. There was no other way to look at it. We stared at each other for a small moment before he tossed the bouquet on the bed and came across the room grabbing me up and kissing me deeply.

He stopped, looking at at me for a second. "I love you." He said smiling lightly.

"I love you to." I said. He kissed me again for a long moment, it became heavier and even heavier. He walked us back until we got to the bed and laid down. It went on for a few minutes and just when cloths began to get pulled off I stopped.

"Wait Stefan..." I said.

"What's wrong?" he asked, troubled.

"It's just...Bonnie...she's on her way here, she'll be here any minute." I said.

He nodded and smiled. "Oh, okay. Well...I'll get going..but we need some time soon. I really miss you." He said smiling sweetly. I nodded. I sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the roses, touching my nose to the tops of the buds.

He kissed me on my forehead and walked to the window.

"Hey, Stefan." I called.

"Yeah?" He asked looking back.

"Thanks for the roses."

That night, Bonnie left for the dance early and I waited for Stefan. I looked down at my solid ivory colored floor length gown, running my hands over the smooth material. I had only the top of my hair pulled up letting the rest of it tumble and curl down my shoulders. I had a blue jeweled hair piece in.

I sat there in a daze trying to think of what Damon could have been about to say this morning.

"You look pretty." Jeremy said coming through the kitchen dressed in dark dress pants and a white collard shirt.

"Thanks...you look nice to...maybe a tiny bit under dressed though. I mean this is Mrs. Lockwood we're dealing with." I laughed.

"I'm one step ahead." Jeremy smiled pulling a dark blazer out of the coat closet.

"Oh my gosh! You guys look great!" Jenna said walking into the kitchen. Jeremy and I both looked at Jenna in shock. She looked like a movie star in a floor length black sparkling gown.

"Wow, Jenna." I said.

"Ditto." Jeremy smiled.

Jenna smiled doing a small spin to show off her dress.

"Alaric is going to love it." I smiled. Her hair was swept softly to the side, pinned with a black stone hair piece.

"I hope so." She blushed. There was a knock at the door. Jeremy opened it.

"Elena! Stefan's here." He called.

"Have fun." Jenna smiled brightly.

"You to." I smiled back, making my way to the door.

Stefan did look great, wearing a black suit with a charcoal gray under shirt. We made it to the Lockwood Estate that was completely transformed as usual into a dazzling dance hall. There were white sparkling lights strung everywhere with a sheer white fabric wrapped around them giving a soft white glow almost every where you went. Inside was bursting with the most elegant splash of colors with all the different gowns and suits. Huge flower arrangements were located on every surface. Out in the back yard there were rows and rows of tables set up, spread with white table cloths and fine china. Huge pyramids of wine goblets were arranged on the end. It was fit for a platinum wedding, definitely fit for a charity ball. Mrs. Lockwood and Mason Lockwood stood at the entrance welcoming us as we came in. I couldn't help but to notice the hesitation with Mason's handshake with Stefan. But they both nodded in silent agreement and we continued on our way.

"I think he's aware of the research we've been conducting. He doesn't like it." Stefan said quietly once we made it inside."

"I'm not sure what to think about him, I mean he seems nice enough." I shrugged.

"Yeah. I don't know. There's another full moon coming up soon. I hope he thinks enough of us to leave us alone...but then again...it's like our thirst for blood..they hunt vampires driven by more than just their minds." Stefan said. "And of course Damon has pissed him off already so...who knows."

Caroline and Bonnie made their way over to us from across the room.

"Hey guys." Caroline chimed. "Okay Stefan...I made it through last night without any slip ups...so I feel confident tonight." Caroline beamed.

Bonnie shook here head her lips screwed to the side.

"Well that's wonderful Caroline, just remember to keep your cool and you'll be fine. But you know I'm here if you need any help." Stefan said.

As people began to accumulate on the dance floor, Stefan held his hand out.

"Want to dance?" He said smiling handsomely. I smiled and nodded.

He led me out to the dance floor and we began to sway to the slightly upbeat music of the jazz that was playing.

"You know Damon would never admit to it but...he loved this." Stefan said.

I was taken aback by the sudden mention of his name. "Um..loved what?" I asked.

"He loved jazz. Especially the later work..Sinatra, Tony Bennett...that's who's this is." He said. "Tony Bennett, The Way You Look Tonight. His favorite song around that time." He said smiling.

My heart thumped a little harder and my stomach was turning with butterflies.

"What's his favorite song now?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Who knows." He smiled as he spun me and dipped me.

I listened to the slow, comfortable song playing, the piano slinking in and out of the music. It was a good song.

Stefan pulled me closer and I laid my chin on his shoulder as we swayed slowly. That's when I spotted Damon, dressed sinfully amazing in a close fitted dark Turquoise shirt with a black blazer coat and matching pants. He looked like a poster for elegance and poise. Standing with one hand in his pocket, he looked out over the place standing near the champagne table. Then I saw Charlotte come from behind him and he hung his arm loosely around her waist. She looked amazing of course with a pale blue gathered mermaid cut dress. Her honey hair was gathered in an elegant up do. He said something to her as they made their way down the few steps onto the floor. She tilted her head back, a small laugh that sounded like bells.

My face went hot, and I instantly felt a lump rise in my throat. His hands shouldn't be on her. He shouldn't be making charming jokes for her. Why was he here with her anyway? Does he like her? That's what he was going to tell me this morning! That he has a new girlfriend. That our "friends with benefits" was going to have to end...for her. I shook with anger...not at him...at me. For caring to begin with, for getting wrapped up in Damon Salvatore. How stupid, Elena! How was it his fault. I hadn't taken one step away from Stefan since the beginning of all this. He deserved someone to. But jealousy is an ugly thing that I wasn't used to feeling. I realized now how irrational it can make you.

As they began to dance, standing way too close to each other, she said something else and a glorious smile stretched across his face as he looked down at her. I hated the moment. I nearly stumbled in stumbled in Stefan's grasp as the song came to an end. I had to get off the dance floor and away somewhere else.

"You okay?" Stefan asked, his brows pulled together in confusion. A new wave of emotion hit me at his expression. Guilt. How could I be doing all of this. Stefan had no idea what I had been doing behind his back. Damon forced to stay behind the a secret wall for me. I was worse than Katherine. I was a new breed of evil. I swallowed the lump down enough to stop the tears from coming.

"Yeah, I just need to get something to drink." I tried to smile. He nodded and we made our way back up to the champagne table. I picked up a glass of champagne and was half way through downing it when I heard Charlotte's voice behind me.

"Oh, Elena, you look so great!" She chimed.

I turned seeing her and Damon approaching.

"Thanks, Charlotte. You to." I forced myself to speak.

"You must be Stefan." She smiled reaching out to shake his hand. "Damon told me about you last night." She smiled.

"Charlotte, very nice to meet you." Stefan said shaking her hand. Damon seemed almost careful in not even looking at me. He kept his eyes on Charlotte the whole time, making me frantic. I wanted to reach out and shake him, make him look at me.

Several taps of a glass into a microphone caught all of our attention and we turned to see Mrs. Lockwood, Tyler and Mason standing together.

"I would like to thank everyone for coming tonight. You all look fabulous. It means so much to me that the memory of my dear husband and the mayor of our beloved town is still alive in all of our memories and dedication to keeping this town alive. We are a wonderful place here in Mystic Falls, full of wonderful people and of course deep rooted, rich history dating back to our founders. It means the world to me to know that I have a place in this town. Cheers, to the late Mayor Lockwood and to the people, that make this town a place to call home." Mrs. Lockwood raised her glass.

"Cheers!" Everyone said raising their glass. I listened to the tinkering of glass all about the room. Damon tapped his glass to Charlotte's and he winked before turning it bottoms up.

Soon the music began to play again and we found ourselves to my dismay back on the dance floor. Bonnie and Caroline both had found someone to dance with, a couple of students I recognized from a few of our classes. I was trying to brush off the sickness of jealousy the best I could. I knew if I didn't I was going to cause a scene with the beast of it finally let loose inside of me. Right as I looked away from Damon and Charlotte I noticed the back head of long brunette hair curled to the max swing in a turn and disappear. Then I spotted them again and this time I caught a glimpse of my own face. Katherine was here.

"Um, excuse me." I told Stefan. I sashayed through the dancing crowd and followed her up the long staircase to the second floor. Standing there, just like I had followed a white rabbit was Katherine...looking out over the balcony of the second floor watching the dancing below.

"I knew you would follow me. Your predictable." She scoffed with a smile.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

She turned, smiling and pranced a few steps toward me.

"I know what you're doing." She grinned. My blood turned to ice.

"And what's that?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"Oh, I've been keeping tabs Elena. I mean...Stefan kisses one girl and you just go in for the ultimate payback. A full blown affair with his brother. You know, I have to say that I am...impressed. I kind of want to call you my sister or something. Has a nice ring to it." She nodded smiling wide.

"Okay, you caught me...now what." I said coldly.

She shrugged. "No sinister plan to reveal...yet." She said. "I just wanted you to be aware that I know. I also wanted you to be aware that you have no real reason to hate me. I mean...we're pretty even on the playing field..don't you agree?" She asked, her head tilted to the side.

I rolled my eyes and turned to leave.

"Oh, and Elena?" She called.

I turned and sighed. "What?" I asked.

"He's good isn't he?" She winked.

I turned and bolted down the stairs. I was trying to decide whether I should tell Stefan she was here or not. Usually I would quickly...but given her new information about me...I was afraid to. I made to the last step and right as I looked up..it was like a slap across the face. I saw Charlotte jump to her tippy toes and kiss Damon quickly.

I had, had it. I couldn't stand it anymore. I turned quickly heading for the nearest bathroom I could find. I finally found one and shut the door. I took in the elegant bathroom, the pale golden walls, the dark cherry wood of the standing sink. I sank to the floor and let the tears come. I shuddered hard trying to keep the noise level down. But the party going on outside was way too loud to give me up.

After a while I stood up and wiped the makeup running and fluffed up my dress. I had to give this up...it was too much for me. I had to let Damon do what he wanted, he deserved to be happy.

I opened the door just as Damon rounded the corner.

"Hello, Miss." He said in a dashing manner. He took my hand and kissed it. Looking back up he smiled as if we were in on a secret together. Which we were.

"Hey." My voice came out scratchy. His smile fell a little when he noticed my swollen freshly cried out eyes.

"Elena?" He said, looking troubled. I brushed past him walking briskly outside where the banquet tables were set up. No one was out there luckily. I heard him behind me within seconds. Once we made it out into the yard at the end of the tables he finally called my name.

"Elena, stop." He said. I turned watching him walk to me.

"Damon, just go back inside...I want to be alone." I sniffled.

"What's wrong?" He said, sincerely worried.

"What's wrong!" I asked frantically, feeling the tears begin to wail up again. "So are you and Charlotte together now?" I asked, not believing how I was acting towards him.

"Elena, it's not like that-" He began, but I couldn't stop myself.

"Yes it is! You and her have been stuck together all night. I saw her kiss you! You could have just told me you had a new girlfriend this morning, or is that what you were trying to tell me!" I snapped.

"Elena, she's not my girlfriend, she's just a date for tonight! You were already taken, so forgive me! You think this is easy for me, Elena! Do you!" His face was growing furious with more emotion on it then I had ever seen before.

"It doesn't matter...were just friends...with benefits" I quoted him angrily.

"You're ridiculous, Elena. You know that? You think that's all I really see you as! I've been tripping all over myself for a long time now over you! I've been watching you love my brother from afar for a long time. Do you think that's easy! I do bad things and you hate me for it. I do good things and you still hate but your nice enough to let me hope for something, ANYTHING between us! I can't do the right thing and I can't do the wrong thing...nothing is ever good enough for you! You think this is just about sex! Friends with benefits! I love you, Elena! I've been in love with you for a long time! I'm madly ...deeply in love with you! I have to watch you in the arms of another every single day so I know how it feels trust me. I LOVE YOU!" He thundered. He reached out and grabbed both my arms so tight I was sure it would leave bruises later. "If you can't see that by now, you are blind!" He said shaking me in fury. I noticed a small glisten of tears in the bottom of his eyes. The world had fallen silent now. He loved me.

I went to open my mouth to speak but I couldn't. I was in shock.

"Elena." He said now very quiet with intensity. "Elena, do you love me?" He asked. "Please tell me you do. Please." His face was inches from mine, his hands still grasped onto my arms.

But that's when we heard a commotion behind us. People were beginning to gather outside. Damon didn't release my arms but he turned and looked along with me. Charlotte was standing amongst the crowd of people spilling out to take their seat at the tables for dinner. She smiled awkwardly with a small wave. Then I noticed Stefan standing a few feet down from her. His brows pulled together at what he saw. Damon released me. He looked back at me for a long moment before he sauntered away out towards the edge of the woods behind the house.

I walked slowly towards Stefan, he stood like a statue his eyes fixed on me.

"What was that about?" he asked.

"Just...Damon being Damon." I nodded.

"I'll go talk to him." Stefan sounded angry.

"No. Just leave him alone." I said calmly.

"Stefan! I need your help. I'm feeling...hungry." Caroline said whispering the word.

Stefan looked back to me.

"Oh, go ahead...I'm uh...going to go home. I'm all danced out." I said.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Stefan asked, giving me a long suspicious look.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said.

**DAMON**

Damon reached the edge of the woods not knowing where he was going. He would turn and go back to the party once everything got settled. He thrust his hands into his pockets and paced for a minute.

"Hey buddy, aren't you supposed to bring a girl out to the edge of the woods at a party?" Mason said stepping into view.

"I don't have much of an appetite." Damon said sarcastically.

"Hmm, that's too bad." Mason said grinning.

"What brings you out here to stalk me?" Damon asked.

"Well, actually I did have something I needed to get off my chest. You remember that night you attacked me and I told you that any kind of a truce was off with us and pretty much told you that I would pay you back?" Mason asked tilting his chin upwards.

"Oh, no I completely forgot." Damon said crossing his arms. "So what about it?"

"Well, I was thinking of ways to screw you over, and I couldn't think of anything good enough. You know...with you being a cold emotionless bastard it's kind of hard to cook up any good ideas, you see?" Mason said, walking closer to Damon.

"Get to the point dog. I'm in a sketchy mood." Damon snapped.

"Oh okay, well...I never thought you really cared about anything. Cause if you did, I would destroy it. But now that I've seen you with Elena..well. You know." Mason shrugged.

Damon grabbed Mason's throat.

"You won't go near her!" He growled.

Mason struggled with something in his pocket and brought out a stick of vervain, pressing it to Damon's wrist. Damon released him quickly when the burn hit him.

"No, I told you there is no truce, you screwed up and now...Elena is done for and there's nothing that will stop me. I promise. I've got people." Mason hissed.

Damon walked up to where he was standing within an inch from Mason.

"You harm Elena in anyway...I'll kill Tyler. And then I'll kill you. I promise." Damon nearly whispered.

Mason simply smiled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"We'll see about that." He said.

**ELENA**

I ran up the stairs, the house was empty..Jeremy and Jenna were still at the ball. I ran into my room and ripped the hair piece out of my hair letting it fall around my shoulders. I slammed it down on the dresser and sat down on the bed pressing my hands to my face.

"Elena." I heard his angel voice break the silence. I looked up to see Damon walking through my bedroom door. I jumped from the bed and jumped into his arms wrapping my legs around his waist and throwing my arms around his neck. He held me tightly.

"I love you, Damon." I whispered.

He sighed deeply and held me tighter.

I reached my feet to the ground to get a better look at his face.

"I ..am so in love with you." I confessed.

His bottom lashes brimmed with tears.

"Thank god you do." He said crashing his mouth to mine. "I love you, Elena" He whispered. We kissed wildly for a while. Then all the sudden he jerked back. He crossed the room and opened my closet feeling around in the top of it. He pulled down an old duffel bag and threw it on my bed.

"We have to leave. We need to leave, Elena. Let's just get out of here. You and me." He said. He crossed the room in two long strides and opened my dresser pulling out cloths.

"What? What are you talking about?" I asked.

"We just need to leave." He said again.

I walked over to him and rested my hand on top of his that was busy throwing cloths into the crumpled duffel.

"Damon, what's going on?" I asked. He shook his hair, his upper lip curled in sudden anger.

"It's Mason. He's hates me and now he knows about us. He saw us in the yard I guess. He wants to hurt you Elena. To get to me." He said.

"Damon, we can't just skip town-" I said.

He grabbed the duffel and thrust it into the wall, running his hands tightly through his hair.

"We have to Elena!" He said, his face full of anger.

"I saw Katherine tonight." I said.

"At the dance?" he said raising a brow.

"Yes. She stopped by to simply tell me she knew about you and I." I explained.

"And the plot thickens." Damon said sarcastically.

"You think it's related?" I asked.

"Of course it is." He said.

"Damon?" I said resting my hand on the side of his face. His eyes fluttered shut at my touch. "We have to stay here. We can't just run, you've never done that before." I said.

"It was never you that was directly threatened." He said. He grabbed me into his chest, holding me close.

"Okay, if your insisting that we stay here then...I'm going to need some insurance." Damon said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Elena, you're not going to like this..." He said, his face falling sad.

"What, Damon?" I asked.

"You're going to drink my blood." He said softly.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"Just in case Elena. I know it's not what you really want but."

I realized what he was saying. He wanted me to drink his blood, so in the case that I was killed I wouldn't be gone forever.

"Damon, I can't" I said shaking my head.

"Elena...I don't have a choice...I can't except that." He said looking frantic.

"Damon...this is the world...people die.." I said

"NO! NO...you won't. You will never die, Elena!" He said suddenly booming with frantic energy.

"But Damon I can't!" I said.

He paused for a second, looking at me, studying me in the strangest way. Then he began walking towards me, but it wasn't a feeling of happiness, I actually felt afraid when he came at me.

"What are you doing?" I asked uneasily.

"I'm so sorry, Elena. But I have to." He said.

"You have to what?" I asked betrayed by love and fear and at the same time.

He cornered me and then reached out breaking my vervain necklace from around my neck. I watched it burn him and he tossed to the ground behind him.

"I'm so sorry, but I won't lose you." He said.

"Your going to compel me?" I whispered.

"Elena...please forgive me." He said, his face set in devastation.

I stood for a moment in shock.

"Fine. Do it, so at least I'll be okay with it." I said.

He placed his hand lightly on the side of my face.

"You want to drink from, Elena. It's what you want, to survive." He said.

I felt strange...I watched his piercing blue eyes that suddenly became like a tunnel...leading directly to mine.

"I want to drink from you." I wanted him to know. I demanded it.

His face cringed with a sort of pain and then he pressed his wrist to me and I excepted it eagerly.

The rust and clove like taste reached my lips and It was sweet as it went down. For moment I stood in absolute glory for winning. For winning this, for winning him. He took his wrist away although I wanted more. I was met with his kips instead. That I wanted even more. We kissed violently as we stumbled back towards the bed. My dress was off fast and his jacket and turquoise shirt hit the floor. Ecstasy...it's what Damon really was. My solace...my home.

**Pleeeeaaase leave reviews for this chapter. I've got some pretty cool ideas for the next one but this one actually means something to me. I actually put some effort into it. Please let me know what you think! I love writing for you guys so much! **

**Love- Alexis :D**


	10. Dirty Secrets

I was feeling vibrant and very alive with Damon's blood in my system. I had left Damon curled in the sheets to take a shower. It wasn't long after the water was running and I had stepped in that Damon stepped in after me wrapping his arms arms me and resting his chin on my shoulder from behind me.

"Tell me again." He whispered.

"I love you, Damon." I smiled. We stood in the warm water for a long time frozen in that embrace. I thought about the fact that Damon and I were worlds apart from each other, he had been around for centuries and had experienced more than I ever would, he was a menace to so many people and to even more, he was a nightmare...someone to be truly feared. I was just a high school girl with a very interesting twist in my life. Who had lost her parents and because of that, always has a well hidden bitter hand in whatever I did. But regardless of our differences I also realized we were so much alike. We were both people that had good in our hearts that we wanted to give, we were both people that had been hurt for different reasons and had felt left out in the cold looking for someone or anything to feel like home again. We had found it. I would always be damaged in that way, to lose the one thing In the world that felt safe. Damon would always be Damon, he was still angry, he was still hurt and he still wanted to inflict the pain on other people that they did to him, innocent or not. The difference was, he now had me and I would always be there to pick up the broken pieces and to love him regardless.

I turned towards him, watching the drops of water splashing off of me and clinging to his body, to the ends of his midnight hair. I was surprised when I was met with the expression on his face. Immense sadness.

"What's wrong?" I asked, placing my hand on the side of his face.

"Elena, I compelled you to drink blood from me. I don't want you to think otherwise." He said.

I thought back to when I was doing it and remembered the sudden strong lust for his blood. It made sense. He had compelled me, but I found it hard to be angry at him for trying to protect me.

"I think being compelled works better when you don't admit to it." I smiled.

He rolled his eyes but smiled lightly.

"I didn't want to but Elena, I'm...I just couldn't take a chance in losing you." He explained.

I stepped into the water letting it slide down my body and saturate my hair.

"What do you think Tyler is going to do?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I don't know." His brows pulled together in deep trouble.

"Hey, let's just drop it for now. Who knows, his threat could be just _that_...a threat."

"I don't know." He said quietly.

When I was washing the rich suds from my hair. I felt him grab my shoulders and turn me around. He kissed me deeply until his hands searched everywhere and his lips ran down my neck. Even as he smashed me to the wall and I braced myself for him I realized I could never get enough of Damon. Ever. It became apparent that this shower would be extended. His wet hair clung to his face and his lashes were sharpened, and when he bit his bottom lip in rising pleasure I grew weak from the beauty.

After a while I stepped out and grabbed a towel from the counter. As I was drying off I realized Damon had slipped back into a troubled state again.

"Damon...talk to me, what's wrong?"

"Elena, I can't stand that I compelled you. I wish I could take it back." He said sincerely.

"Damon, you have made me fully aware of what you did. I know now...and I'm okay. I doubt I'm in any real danger...I'm sure Mason is just trying to scare you." I said trying to comfort him.

"I'm just sorry." He reached over grabbing my vervain necklace from the counter and draping it around my neck. "I'll never do it again...I swear to you Elena." He said.

"I love you." I whispered standing on my toes to kiss him. He slipped on a pair of jeans and I threw on Damon's dark turquoise over sized shirt from the dance until I could make it out to my dresser.

We opened the door, the ice cold air hitting us from the steaming temperatures of the shower. I was heading for my dresser when Damon's hand grabbed my shoulder and jerked me back behind him so quick It took me a moment to even register it. I looked around him to see what was going on, when I saw Stefan sitting on the window seat in my room.

"Stefan!" I gasped stepping up beside Damon.

He tilted his head to the side, his face was unreasonably calm.

"Elena." he said simply.

We all stood staring at each other in hesitation. I couldn't believe he was here! That I had gotten caught so easily. It wasn't that I wasn't planning at this point in telling him, but not this way.

"Stefan, it's not what-" I began, without thinking.

He raised his hand in protest.

"I was here for the duration of your shower, I know what's going on." Stefan said coldly. I thought back to the moans, the gasps he must have heard. The I love you's. My stomach twisted, my heart was caving in. Stefan...my Stefan. I've truly broken his heart, I realized. Suddenly he flashed to me from the window seat. His hands pressed firmly to both sides of my face.

"How could you! Elena?" He hissed.

"Stefan?" I squeaked through oncoming tears. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me.

"Tell me! How did this happen! What about me?" He asked furiously. Tears wailing up in both of our eyes.

"Let her go, Stefan." Damon said, his chin tipping slightly upwards in challenge.

Stefan's looked with rage towards Damon and then back to me, eyes wide and questioning.

"What did he do to you?" Stefan asked slowly, like I had a hard time understanding him.

"Nothing." I answered, barely able to breath.

"Stefan, just calm down. We'll talk about this at the house." Damon said.

"What did you do, Damon!" Stefan said turning his attention completely towards Damon now. "Did you finally figure out just what to say? Did you use the incident with Katherine to your benefit?"

"Stefan, please." Damon said calmly.

"Did you compel her? Just couldn't take Katherine's rejection could you? So you had to come after Elena." Stefan warred.

In a complete blur Stefan was on the floor on his back, Damon leaned over him with his hand to his throat. "No, brother...now I suggest you stop there and wait until later." Damon threatened. In yet another blur Stefan was at his feet again. I couldn't take anymore of this between them.

"I love him..." I said.

Stefan looked at me, shock spelled clearly across his face.

"Your going to pay for this. I hope you know." Stefan growled, still not believing me.

"Stefan, just stop." I ordered. "You have no idea how hard this is." I said. "I'm still trying to catch up with it myself but...I am in love with him." I said again.

Stefan backed slowly up and turned towards the window. He turned one more time giving me a horribly pained look. Then he was gone.

Damon caught me as I fell to the floor in tears.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" He asked. "I know you still have a chance with him at this point, Elena." He said.

I buried my face into his chest to answer his question.

Several hours later I awoke from a deep sleep. I groaned, fighting my own consciousness.

I felt Damon pull me closer.

"Shh, it's okay." He said comforting me.

"I can't believe what I've done to him." I squeaked. "But I need you Damon." I said.

After I had calmed down a bit, Damon stroking my hair gently, he pulled me back to look at me.

"Elena, I have to go back to the house, to see if I can can talk to him." He explained. It took me a while but I finally nodded in agreement.

"Okay." I said.

"Get some sleep." He said.

I slipped deeper into the sheets.

"Damon, don't let him do anything to you." I said.

Silence filled the air for a few minutes.

"Elena?" He said

"Yeah?"

"I made you drink my blood so that if you were killed, I would still have you." He said slowly.

I nodded, understanding.

"If this happens you will become a vampire." He explained.

"I know." I whispered.

I looked into his jeweled blue eyes.

"Will you have me, will you want me...forever?" He asked.

"Eternity." I answered. I imagined it being him and I...against the world...and smiled.

He kissed me on the lips softly and then on the forehead. Before I knew it, he had slipped quietly out of the room.

I sat up looking for him and realized he was gone. I thought about the banquet that was going to be held for mayor Lockwood the day after tomorrow, if I would have the honor of showing up with Damon against the odds, against everyone's wishes. I thought about Stefan, and how everything seemed to be so long ago with him.

After I had slipped back into a deep sleep I felt a hand cover my mouth. I opened my horrified eyes to find Katherine looking down on me.

"Your coming with me." She smiled.

**Sorry for the quickie chapter, I have a job lol, please tell me what you think. Big chapter coming next. Intense stuff. Reviews! :D**


	11. Sacrafice

I instantly tried to jerk away from her and scramble off the bed but her hand tightened on my arm like a vice.

"Hey, hey...calm down." She said. "You can either keep quiet and come with me or I can compel you to." She said eying my necklace...ready to rip it off.

"I thought you were blocked from my room?" I said, remembering Bonnie's spell she had put down on the house.

"I have my ways, Elena. Bonnie's not the only witch." She said dragging me towards the window. She got me out on the small roofed ledge. In one single sweep she managed to land us both on the ground with almost no impact.

"Let's go." She said gripping my arm again as we made it towards the road.

"No cat and mouse games, Katherine? You seem more serious tonight than usual." I said. I wasn't feeling as scared as I should, I just felt angry.

"Yeah well, I'm feeling a little annoyed with you, Elena." She said, her voice just cold and monotone.

"You have feelings?" I asked, feeling too confident for my own good.

She whipped around, squeezing my arm tighter and stared me down in anger.

"Don't be such a hypocrite, Elena." She hissed. "You want to talk about feelings...and your with Damon now right? He's got ice in his veins worse than anyone I know. So where do you find all the judgment? You loved Stefan, you truly did and you stood by him. But somehow you managed to get swept up in Damon Salvatore. You managed to break hearts, even against your own intentions. Sometimes the intensity between them feels overwhelming, sometimes almost too much...so even if you ran away to be away from it, to have some time to get yourself together...it wouldn't change your love for them, right?" She snapped. "I've had enough of you, Elena...you and your judgment. We're not as different as you believe." She said continuing with her dragging me to the road.

We made it to the edge of the when I saw a dark car drive forward. It pulled up to where we were standing. Katherine opened the back door.

"Get in." She ordered.

I just stood staring at her in anger. I didn't want to take another step. She rolled her eyes and slammed my shoulders causing me to fly back into the car. My head struck against the window on the inside of the car. As the tunnel vision closed in pulling me into unconsciousness I saw Katherine shut the door, leaving me alone with who ever was driving and we drove away.

**The Boarding House**

Stefan watched as Damon came in the front door and walk straight over to the bar and pour a glass of scotch. He turned locking eyes with Stefan from across the room, took a sip and continued to stare.

"What?" Damon asked shrugging. "Ohhhh, that whole thing with Elena." Damon snapped his fingers, acting like he suddenly remembered.

Stefan just stared in fury.

"Stefan, come on. What do you want me to say?" Damon said.

Stefan began walking towards him. "Just tell me this Damon...and if you can manage it...although it may be difficult... tell me the truth." Stefan said.

"Hmm, I will try, but no promises." Damon said raising his brow.

Stefan stopped a couple of feet away from Damon.

"Did you manipulate her?" Stefan asked calmly.

"Manipulate?" Damon said, exaggerating a look of shock.

"Yes, you know...how you do everyone else you have even been around." Stefan said crossing his arms over his chest.

"I did a lot of things to her, but manipulation wasn't one of them." Damon said, a grin stretching across his face.

Stefan flared with fury launching towards Damon and slamming him to the ground. In instant reaction Damon grabbed Stefan and kicked him back with his feet. Stefan hit the wall and instantly ran back towards Damon. Stefan made it back to Damon and swung, striking Damon in the face. Damon turned and pinched his nose in pain.

"Damn it Stefan." Damon groaned.

Stefan raised his chin. But before he realized it Damon, slammed him on the floor, putting one foot on his chest.

"Nice job...you got a good hit in." Damon smiled. He reached down and grabbed Stefan up by his shirt. He got Stefan to his feet and then punched him the stomach so hard Stefan dropped to his knees and doubled over.

"Don't screw with me Stefan. You know I'm stronger than you." Damon said grabbing Stefan by the shoulders and standing him up again. "Now, if your done with this pathetic death match attempt, let me tell you what's really going on." Damon said.

"Then tell me." Stefan said wincing in pain.

"I love Elena. It's one of those...not sure what love really was until now kind of things. I didn't manipulate her, or pull any tricks. It just happened Stefan. Here's the bigger thing though...she's happy Stefan and I know your hurt...and believe it or not..I am sorry for that. But...is this fight really about her? Or is it just about you and I? We're so used to challenging each other, competing. Don't make her feel any worse about what she did to you just because it's me that you can't stand." Damon said.

"You're an asshole." Stefan said turning to walk away from Damon.

"Do you boys ever stop fighting?" They heard Katherine say. They looked over to find her perched on the arm of the chase lounge with a grin on her face. "Oh, this must be because of your steamy little affair with Elena." She nodded.

"What are you doing here?" Damon snapped.

"Just coming to see how Stefan took the news. Not well, I guess." She stood up and walked closer to them. "Well, Stefan this is your lucky night. Mason is pretty pissed of at Damon, maybe even as much as you are...he has a little bone to pick with him."

"What are you getting at Katherine?" Stefan said in a distant voice.

"I was just coming to tell Damon that Mason wants him to meet him at the back west side of the Lockwood territory." She said shrugging and walking towards the door.

"And why should I care what he wants?" Damon asked.

"Because he has Elena." She said as she left.

**Elena**

Something was squeezing my chest. I could barely breath. I began to come to from being knocked out in the car. I gasped suddenly remembering that I had been taken from the house. My eyes snapped open and I began to take in my surroundings. I realized that I was chained tightly to a tree at the edge of a clearing. I looked down at the thick chain and noticed something mixed in with it. Vervain. They had little spruces of vervain wrapped all into it. I heard a faint murmur not to far away. I peered through the trees at the edge of the clearing and saw a group standing there talking. There was a fire burning in the middle of the clearing casting a gold light and black shadows everywhere. I struggled against the chain pointlessly hoping for it to give enough room for me to slip out...but it was to tight. The sound of my struggling caught the groups attention and they looked at me. A tall thin framed girl with black hair came walking over to me.

"Who are you?" I asked.

She smiled. "A friend of Katherine's."

"Your a witch?" I asked.

"Yeah." She nodded, humored by my guess. The rest of the group headed over. Two broad shouldered guys, who looked in their early twenties like Damon and Mason. They stopped in front of me and crossed their arms. "These are werewolves." She said.

"Is she awake?" I heard a guy ask. He made his way through the group and as he came through I saw that it was Mason.

"What are you doing Mason?" I asked.

"Elena, please forgive me okay...It's nothing against you...it's just that Damon had this coming and he seems to be pretty fond of you so..." He shrugged.

"Where is Damon?" I asked.

"He should be here soon." He said nodding.

**Damon**

Damon was driving frantically down the road towards the Lockwood's. He reached up and shifted the rear view mirror. Stefan took notice of Damon's hands trembling.

"Damon, calm down okay? You're driving crazy enough to draw some serious attention." Stefan said.

Damon shook his head. "This is my fault, all of it. The threats were made and I just left her anyway. Just walked out and left her unprotected."

Stefan shook his head and looked at Damon gripping the steering wheel in desperation. " She'll forgive you Damon. That's the difference between Elena and Katherine. One of the many differences. For her to love who we are, she's so far from being what we are. I knew

that's why she never wanted to be a vampire, it wasn't about me, it was because

unlike Katherine she loves her humanity, she desires no higher power or eternal youth, none of it. Elena would be happy growing old with someone and having children and grandchildren. That's just her. She's everything that is human. Maybe that's why we draw so close to her." Stefan shrugged.

Damon's face fell to a kind of grief and he pressed even further on the gas causing the car to reach maximum speed.

**Elena**

Katherine appeared in the clearing. She looked at me, her eyes narrowing.

"They coming?" Mason asked.

"They're about to be here." She answered.

Not too long after that Damon and Stefan charged swiftly into the woods. Damon looked around the circle of the clearing until he spotted me against the tree. He began walking to me, confident in his motion to set me free.

"I wouldn't that." Mason warned coming out of nowhere.

Damon ignored him and kept walking until suddenly Damon dropped to his knees holding his head in agony. He groaned and smashed his palms harder into his temples.

"Stop it! What are you doing?" I screamed. That's when I saw the witch standing a few feet away. She was doing the same thing Bonnie knew how to do to Vampires. Finally Damon grew silent and he stood up and backed away from me.

"Clever." Damon snapped. "You know you're really starting to piss me off Lockwood." Damon said.

I saw one of the guys come out and grab Stefan's shoulders. They drug him back and put a chain around him like they did to me. They knew Stefan wasn't strong enough to break out of it.

Damon was standing by himself in the middle of the clearing near the fire. Everyone was on the sidelines watching him as if he were the spotlight, the main attraction.

Damon laughed suddenly, shaking his head. "What's your plan Mason, what are you doing?"

"My plan is to make you miserable. But mostly too make you realize that you don't have quite the upper hand that you thought. But...since you've gone all soft on me I doubt that's going to be a problem." Mason laughed.

Katherine slinked up to Damon. She reached out and touched her fingertips to his face. He looked down at her in surprise.

"Aww, Damon's always been soft. No one can have as much passion as he does without being soft. Pining after me for all those years." She said shaking her head looking up at Damon like she was enthralled by him. "Soft...or weak. Whatever you want to call it she said dropping her hand suddenly.

Damon snatched Katherine up and threw her a few feet away. She hit the ground and jumped back up in a flash.

"Don't think for a second that I've gone soft, or weak." Damon said glaring at Katherine. I love Elena...but I will still destroy you and anyone else who gets in my way...especially if you hurt her." He said.

"Hmm." Mason put his finger to his head mocking intense thought. "Well...then...bring her out." Mason said. Suddenly the two other guys that had chained up Stefan came from out out of the woods, someone struggling between them. It took me a moment to realize it was Charlotte. They took off whatever was covering her mouth, her eyes were shocked and horribly scared.

"What the hell are you doing?" Damon hissed at Mason without looking away from Charlotte.

Mason stepped up to Charlotte still being held by the guys, she was crying quietly.

She was still wearing her light blue dress from the ball, but her hair was hanging down around her shoulders. Even dirty and crying she was still alarmingly pretty.

"Charlotte, sweetheart. I want you to answer a few questions for me." Mason said.

She didn't respond, she only cried a little harder.

"What are your parent's names?" Mason asked. "You can let her go guys." Mason told the guys holding her there. They released her and left her standing awkwardly there by herself.

"Mason, what the hell is this?" Damon snapped again. But Mason ignored him and looked back at Charlotte.

"What are your parents names?" Mason asked again,

"Sharon and Micheal." She answered through tears.

"Do they love you very much?" Mason asked.

"Yes." She nodded, her voice breaking with a fresh sob.

"Any brothers or sisters?" Mason asked.

"Both...two little brothers and a little sister." She answered.

"Do have a pet?" Mason asked.

"I have a cat named Thomas." She cried.

"Well you seem to be a sweet girl Charlotte. I saw you went to the dance with Damon here. You like him?" Mason asked.

Charlotte looked up at Damon, her eyes pleading. Damon took a few steps toward her but Mason put his hand out.

"Don't come any further or, you know the drill." Mason warned.

Damon's face grew nervous but angry at the same time.

"Charlotte tell me, do you like him?" Mason asked again.

"Yes. I do." Charlotte answered.

"We're you hoping to date him? Be his little girlfriend?" Mason asked.

She nodded. "Yeah..but...I know how he feels about Elena...so I didn't have much hope." She cried her eyes not looking away from Damon. Damon looked to the ground for a moment and then back to her.

"Oh okay. Well...speaking of Elena. Let's see just how serious he is about his softy side." Mason said. He pushed Charlotte so hard she went flying into Damon's arms. She grabbed onto him in fear and shoved her face into his chest as she cried.

"Kill her." Mason said to Damon.

"What?" Damon said, his eyes widening in horror.

"I said...kill her." Mason said again.

"No." Damon said. He put his hand on the back of Charlotte's hair protectively.

Even as I was horrified about what was happening I still couldn't help but to feel a stab of jealousy. I saw Katherine smiling at me off in the distance. She knew how I felt.

Suddenly I felt cool metal rest on my throat and I realized one of Mason werewolf friends were holding a knife to my throat.

"Kill her or Elena will be killed." Mason ordered.

Damon looked over to me and saw the knife being held to me. He left Charlotte standing there as he tried to flash over to me, but he was hit again with the siring pain in his head. He back away again.

"Do it, Damon. It's Charlotte or Elena and you better think fast." Mason said smiling. Damon staggered awkwardly between me and Charlotte. She had just realized what was happening and was looking at Damon with horror written all over her face. He took a couple of steps towards her and stopped.

Suddenly the second werewolf came from behind the one that was holding the knife and struck me across the face so hard I felt blood trickling from my lip.

"Stop it!" Damon screamed.

"Then do it, or Shawn over there will cut her throat. I promise." Mason said.

Damon's face was overwhelmed with staggering bewilderment. Damon was frozen there, his hands lightly lifted.

"Okay fine, have it your way." Mason said and nodded to the Shawn holding the knife. I felt his hand lift up my chin.

"No!" Damon screamed again. He finally snapped and walked quickly to Charlotte.

"No...no please Damon." She cried holding out her hands defensively.

"I am so sorry Charlotte." He whispered. With pain masking his face he reached out to her closing his eyes and snapped her neck.

I gasped in horror as her body fell to the ground. Damon stood for a moment, an expression of grief as he looked at her lifeless body at his feet. Then he took a deep breath and Damon's expression changed from grief to cold, lifeless insensitivity in a mere second. He looked at Mason.

"She was nice...that's a shame." Damon shrugged and in a flat voice he said. "But I told you I'd do what it takes."

**Revieeewws :)**


	12. The Ex Game

"Well, I have to say I'm pretty impressed." Mason smiled. "You may not be as soft as I thought...but you still cared." Mason said nodding towards Charlotte on the ground. Damon's jaw set, his chest rose in anger as he glared at Mason under his lashes. "But either way you better watch your back. There's a full moon coming up soon and you know just who were going to be after." Mason said walking closer to Damon. They were chest to chest both seething in anger. Mason suddenly reached up and pressed his hand to Damon's neck. Damon choked in pain backing away. I realized that Mason had a hand full of vervain in his hand. Mason walked closer about to touch him again. I closed my eyes, I couldn't see Damon in pain, it was the worst thing in the world.

"That's enough." Katherine suddenly said stepping up to Mason. Mason looked annoyed by her stepping in but backed down. "I told you this was unnecessary. Let them go...we have other things to do." Katherine said. She glanced up to me for a moment with an unreadable expression. Then she looked back to Damon for a moment. Finally she turned and walked off.

"You guys are together, huh?" Damon said. A wicked smile stretched across his face. "Wonder what she wants from you." Damon said. "Better take whatever she has you working on for her pretty slow." Damon laughed lightly.

Mason raised his chin in disdain.

The two guys that had been working the whole time with them came up and began to undo the chain around my chest. I stumbled forward but was met with Damon's arms quickly.

"Oh, Elena, I'm so glad your okay." He whispered in my ear. "I love you."

I felt fresh tears hit my eyes. "I love you, Damon.

"I'm so sorry I did that in front of you." He said looking deeply in my eyes. The moon hit his eyes reflecting it like pools of water.

"Damon you didn't have to do that." I said quietly. "You should have just let them do it, I have your blood in my system...we could have saved her life." I said.

"No, Elena." He said his eyes locking in on mine intensely. "No, my blood may not have been enough, it may not be in your system at all anymore. I will never take a chance like that. I will never lose you Elena. Do you hear me?" He said shaking by my shoulders a little. I looked at his eyes burning into mine. I thought about the look on Damon's face when Charlotte was in his arms. Tears erupted from me out of the fear I had just felt, how painfully I loved Damon and the fact that I still had jealous feelings about a dead girl. But as he whispered in my ear, rubbing my hair over and over, rocking me slightly to comfort me and I knew that over all I was just desperately in love with this boy. Desperately.

I laid my chin on Damon's shoulder, letting the tears fall silently. When I looked up, Katherine was standing across the clearing from where we were. Although everyone was leaving, and Stefan was heading into the woods...she stood like a statue staring at Damon and I. And when the moonlight hit her face in exactly the right way...I realized she had tears in her eyes.

"Come on, we need to get back to the house." Damon said.

We made it back to the Boarding House, a place that was like my second home. Damon and I went into his room, a place that I had almost never been in. Somehow it felt comfortable, peaceful and welcoming. I sat down on the bed and he sat down next to me. He took my chin in his hands and took his thumb wiping the fresh blood from my lip where I had gotten hit. His eyes looked alert, and vivid as he stared at it. He brought his thumb to his mouth and let his lips run over it. Tasting it. His eyes grew dark with hunger. He looked up at my face set in amazement. He kissed me deeply as I fell back onto the bed. I felt his tongue running across my lip every few seconds. I was tired, and scared but somehow Damon could always melt that away, no matter what. After a few minutes, much to my dismay he pulled away.

"I want you to stay here tonight. Call Jenna and tell her your staying with Bonnie or Caroline. I just think it would be safer here, for at least tonight." He said.

I nodded.

"Okay."

"Elena?" Damon said sinking to his knees by the bed so that he was almost eye level with me.

"I know you're not going to like this but, I need you to drink more blood from me. At least right now while things are up in the air. Please, just do this for me." He begged.

"Okay." I said.

He sighed in relief. He bit down on his wrist and held it to my mouth. It was hard at first but after a second it got easier and easier until I was fine with it. It seemed like it kept going and I noticed Damon wince a little in pain. I stopped.

"I'm sorry." I said, surprised at myself.

"No, keep going." He said, his face determined.

"No, Damon it's hurting you." I protested.

"Elena, please...I have to make sure just do it." He said. I nodded and continued until he began to look pale.

"Okay no more." I said. He shook his head like he still wasn't satisfied but he knew he couldn't take anymore.

"Alright. Call Jenna, let her know your not coming home and I'm going to go over to the house and make sure everyone's okay there. Check on Jeremy." Damon said standing up. "Stefan is here so, your safe." He said running his hand through his midnight hair. I could tell he was on edge.

"Okay, just hurry back okay?" I asked.

He smiled and kneeled down again beside the bed. "I love you, Elena." He said and kissed me deeply goodbye.

Once he was gone I sat for a moment taking in everything that had happened that night. I couldn't stop thinking about Charlotte, the look of so much fear on her face before she was killed...by Damon...all on my account. It was my fault she was dead and she didn't deserve it. I felt tears returning to the surface of my eyes.

I got up and made my way down the hall towards Stefan's room. I knocked on the door.

"Come in." Stefan said quietly.

I opened the door to find him sitting at the desk in his room. He shut the open journal in front of him and turned in his chair to face me. His face was tired and worn.

"Hey, I just hadn't had a chance to talk to you about everything." I said walking in.

"There's not much to talk about, Elena. If he's what you want then there's nothing else to say." He said trying to sound confident in that fact, but his words were traced with bitterness.

"Stefan, please." I said. In a flash he was out of his chair and standing right in front of me.

"What, Elena? Do you want me back? Did you have a change of heart?" He asked with bitter sarcasm. I saw tears form in the bottom of his eyes.

"Stefan, I'm so sorry." I said feeling my own set of tears return for the hundredth time tonight. "Why did you still come tonight, why did come to find me with Damon?" I asked.

" Because I love you." He said staring at me with so much seriousness I was taken aback.

"Stefan...I love you to. I really do. I don't know where all of this came from it just happened." I explained. He stared at me for a minute and then turned away from me.

"Just go Elena." He said quietly.

"Stefan, I made a promise to you before all of this happened that I intend to keep." I said.

He turned looking at me questioningly. "What's that?" He asked.

"That I would give you a little of my blood each day to keep you strong." I said. I walked over to his desk and picked up the pin that I usually used. I pricked my finger and turned to him.

"Elena, I don't know. I might be too hungry right now and my emotions are pretty high." He said.

"Stefan, please." I said.

He crossed the room and took my finger examining the tiny bead of crimson on the tip. He met it with his mouth, his eyes fluttered shut. He kept on as his eyes began to grow dark.

"Stefan?" I said trying to keep him focused.

It seemed like he didn't hear me. Suddenly he actually bit down drawing more blood.

Stefan!" I said growing with alarm, he was losing control.

His eyes snapped open and I pulled my hand away and began to leave the room so that he could calm down. When I made it to the door he was suddenly behind me. He reached out and shut his bedroom door and I turned backing into it.

"Stefan, stop." I said calmly. The darkness around his eyes began to disappear and he realized what he was doing.

"Elena, I'm sorry." He said.

"No it's okay." I said beginning to relax. Our eyes caught each other, and suddenly wistful sadness hit me. Not because I wanted him back but just because I never wanted to hurt him. We began to lean in, our lips were about to touch. When the thought of Damon flashed in my mind I pulled back suddenly.

"Stefan, I can't." I said.

He smiled and looked to the floor.

"Yeah." He nodded. "I know."

"Goodnight." I said and opened the door, making my way back down the long hall to Damon's room. I shut the door before the tears came.

**Damon**

Damon had checked through the house, listening carefully to make sure everything was okay. Jeremy was fast asleep, breathing evenly. Alaric was obviously staying over with Jenna. The house was clear. He leapt quietly from the window and made his way to the car parked out on the street.

"What are you doing here, seeing as that Elena is elsewhere?" He heard Katherine say behind him.

He rolled his eyes, sighing dramatically as he turned to face her.

"I'm making sure that their isn't a crazy bitch stalker around here. But...here you are." Damon said smiling darkly.

"Harsh." Katherine said grinning as she walked closer to him.

"Really? Cause that was me being nice. I think it will be much more harsh when I drive a stake through your heart." Damon said.

"I think you've killed enough for tonight. That poor girl." Katherine mocked immense sadness, shaking her head. "Plus you can't kill me. That isn't how this works." She shrugged.

Damon reached out and jerked her shoulder pulling her closer. "And what exactly is _this?_"

Damon asked darkly. She stared at him, surprised by his reaction. Before Damon knew what was happening she leaned in and pressed her mouth to his, kissing him. He pushed her back.

"What are you doing?" He asked in shock.

"What does it look like?" She smiled.

"Oh no no no...you had your chance cupcake." Damon said backing away. "You can go back home to the dog your using for whatever reason. I'm sure you've compelled him to love you very much." Damon smiled.

"Oh whatever Damon, I've got other things to do." Katherine said dismissively.

"Well whatever you have to do on your evil bitch to do list, just make sure that keeping your claws off of Elena is one of them." Damon warned.

She put her hands up in mock surrender. "You got it sir." She winked and flashed out of sight.

**Boarding House**

Damon walked through the door jerking me into his arms and crashing his mouth into mine kissing me so deeply I was overwhelmed with heat. He laid me back onto the bed and slid over me.

"I love you." He whispered.

He took off my shirt, running his hands down my torso. He kissed my neck and down my chest.

His hands were everywhere. His intensity was shocking to me but I welcomed every second of it. Once we were stripped down his body took over me and I couldn't help the moan that escaped me.

**Reviews pwees. And then more to come :D**


	13. Turn

"Damon?"

"Hmm?"

"Wake up." I whispered.

Damon opened one eye, and groaned.

"Ugh, your a stage five morning person." He groaned.

"I am not." I laughed running my hand through his hair.

"Oh, yeah you are...making list for the day, bagels and dry toast...sickening." He said.

I glanced at the clock.

"It's 9 am what's the big deal?" I laughed, leaning down and kissing him on his forehead.

"Fine...your a stage three." He smiled lightly.

"I have to get back to the house." I said. "Check in with Jenna and say hey to Jeremy." I said.

"Its a Saturday. Your coming back right?" He asked, his blue eyes fully alert now.

"Yeah, I'll come back." I smiled.

"You'll come home." He corrected, his voice scratchy and low as he smiled.

"Yeah." I smiled.

After an awkward good morning between Stefan and I in the livingroom I made it to my car and headed back to the house. I took the time to let myself think about Charlotte. I had been trying so hard to not think about her that all that was happening was all the thoughts were jumbling in my mind. I got teary eyed remembering her naming her parents names, saying she had brothers and sisters and her cat Thomas...what was going to happen to Thomas? I turned the radio up trying to drown it out but it wasn't working. I was doomed to be haunted by Charlotte forever.

I made to my street and neared my house when I saw a car I didn't recognize parked at the curb in front. As soon as I slowed down to park in the driveway the car pulled off with a squeal and hurried down the street. Who was that? Was someone watching our house?

I looked at the house and back to the mystery car disappearing out of sight. I had to follow it, I had to know who it was. I accelerated making sure not to follow to close behind and draw attention to myself. I rolled down the windows letting the crisp fall air washed through the car. I noticed the sky was very overcast and wondered if it would rain soon. The tag of the car was too far out of sight to recognize where it was from. It was a black non descriptive BMW. I followed it out of the neighborhood and through town and it finally stopped right outside of town at a little bed and breakfast ran by my chemistry teachers mother. I parked the car about thirty seconds after the BMW and got out of the car quickly when I saw an average height woman get out and walk towards the building. They were wearing a hooded jacket so I had no idea who it was. I finally got up the nerve to say something.

"Hey." I called.

I felt the cold drops of rain begin to fall, hitting my nose and forehead.

She turned and pulled off their hood. I gasped.

"Isobel?" I asked in disbelief. Sure enough it was her. Her dark hair pulled back into a neat pony tail, her mouth set in a non surprised almost emotionless mask. She looked pretty though, large pearl earrings, her long lashes almost touching her eyebrows.

"Elena...did you follow me?" She asked in her usual monotone voice.

"What were you doing at my house?" I asked.

"Actually, Elena..I came to see you." She said.

"About what?" I asked defensively, knowing there was something more to it other than a casual visit.

"I came to warn you." She said simply. Her eyes flickered left and right until they landed back on me.

"Warn me about what?" I demanded, my patience growing thin.

"Katherine." She whispered, stepping closer to me. Her eyes showed more emotion than I could have ever imagined coming from them.

"What about Katherine? What could I possibly be warned about that she hasn't already accomplished?" I asked.

Isobel took another step towards me and placed her hands on my shoulders.

"Elena, I'm selfish. And although I'm okay with that, I agreed to something eighteen years ago that I thought would be easy to dismiss. But I was wrong." She said, looking almost sad. "She may not have known until recently, but things are different now...and … well, I just wish I could have been there for you...as a mother." She said.

I was taken aback by her words, and although spoken lightly I could tell it was her best depiction of emotional conversation.

"I had wonderful parents...so don't feel bad." I said coldly.

"I won't, Elena...I just wanted you know how I felt. Just don't listen to her. She miscalculated. She's desperate. Just do not listen to Katherine." Isobel said. She turned and walked to the building, her dark ponytail swinging behind her.

I got in my car and sped out of the parking lot and headed back to the house.

I didn't know what to think about what Isobel had said, but I knew Katherine had something more going on than a few werewolf bullies and weird emotional breakdowns.

I pulled into my driveway and raced into the house. Alaric and Jenna were in the middle of cooking something together in the kitchen.

"Hey, Elena. Staying for dinner?" Jenna said smiling from ear to ear with new love.

"Actually no, I'm really sorry but me and Bonnie are studying for a big test and I just came by to get a change of cloths." I lied.

"Oh...well. I'll leave you some leftovers." She laughed as Alaric tossed a dishtowel at her.

I smiled and made my way upstairs. I ran into my room sliding to my knees looking under the bed for the book that Damon had found for me on Katherine's family. I saw it in the shadows and pulled it out. I held it in my lap for a moment running my fingers over the letters. Petrova.

I stuck my head in Jeremy's room and told him I loved him and ran down stairs. I said goodbye to Jenna again and made it to my car. I got in and raced down the road to Bonnies.

I jumped out of the car grabbing the old book and knocked on her door.

"Elena." She smiled.

"Hey Bonnie, I have a huge favor to ask. Or maybe two." I smiled, pleading.

"Come in." She laughed.

We went upstairs to her room.

"Okay what's going on?" She asked.

"Bonnie, I saw Isobel." I said. Her eyes widened."She was trying to warn me about Katherine, but it seemed like there's something bigger to fear aside from her other petty stuff." I said.

"Sounds serious." Bonnie nodded. "What's that?" Bonnie asked motioning towards the book I had on Katherine.

"It's an old book Damon found about her, Petrova is her original name."

She raised and eyebrow.

"Damon,huh?" She asked looking mildly angry.

"Bonnie, I wasn't even with Damon yet when he gave me this book." I said.

"Yet?" She asked angrily.

"Yes... yet... because I'm with him now. So, all of the time... that's when I'm with him." I admitted.

"Elena... I can't believe-" Bonnie began but she was cut off.

"No Bonnie, you can be mad, but right now the most important thing is to try to help me figure out what my evil twin wants before we worry about anything else." I explained. Her face relaxed after a couple of minutes.

"Fine, give me the book...see if I can get a read on it." Bonnie said, holding out her hand.

"I thought it was only people that gave you information when you touch them?" I said.

"Sometimes objects, especially ones with a lot of history." She explained taking the book from me. But soon as her hand touched it she froze, holding it up still like when I was passing to her. Her eyes went wide and her jaw was slack.

"Bonnie?" I said. I stayed quiet for a minute, watching her. I was about to panic until she finally blinked and dropped the book at my feet.

Bonnie shook her head violently. "She's not done with the Salvatore's. She never was, she was only looking for a way to have them both. That's what she's bent on, that's what she's obsessed with." Bonnie grabbed my shoulders and stared into my eyes, horrified. Elena! You are part of her plan...you always have been, since you were even born..." Bonnie said in shock.

Suddenly I felt like I was going to pass out.

"So what exactly is she doing, what exactly is her plan?" I asked.

Bonnie shook her head. "I don't know...I could only get a glimpse and that's all I could get. Elena, your going to have to be very careful. I'm afraid of what she's planning. She's always scared me, but now...I'm really afraid." Bonnie said sincerely.

The look on her face fed my own fear. I was definitely more scared now.

I hung over at Bonnie's for the rest of the day. We talked a lot about Katherine, Caroline, me and Damon. The over cast sky was getting darker as night approached and I decided to go ahead and head back to the Boarding House, when I noticed Damon had called twice.

Bonnie hugged me extra tight as I was leaving. I got in the car and called Damon back.

"Hello, love." He answered.

"Damon, I'm on my way over. I have got some crazy stuff to tell you."

"What's wrong?" He asked suddenly sounding on high alert.

"Well, nothing right at this moment, but I'll explain when I get there." I said.

"Okay, well. Stefan and I are out hunting about a mile away from the Boarding House...I'm trying it his way tonight...just because it's very amusing, so just in case we haven't quite made it back yet...just let yourself in...I'll see you soon. I love you." He said.

"I love you to." I hung up. I made it down the long stretch of road that was a halfway mark from Jenna's house to the Boarding House.

"Elena." A voice suddenly rang out behind me in the car. I swerved and slammed on breaks on the side of the road. I turned towards the backseat to find Charlotte. She was sitting with her arms crossed in her lap, her head tilted.

"You're dead!" I said, without even thinking.

"Yeah...I know." She said...her voice quiet. She flashed suddenly and was sitting in the passenger seat next to me.

"Oh my god...your a .."

"Vampire? Yeah...apparently I died, so that you could live. And apparently I was turned a vampire just to screw with your head. Katherine's words...not mine. " She added.

"Charlotte, I'm just glad your...well alive..in a way. I am so sorry about the other night...it's been making me crazy. I just...I'm so sorry." I said.

I looked at Charlotte. She looked phenomenal. Her honey hair flowed over her shoulders, her skin the same smooth light tan. Her skin, flawless. Her eyes were like were almost a light copper color now. She was mesmerizing.

"Elena, it's okay. Really." She said softly.

"Look Charlotte, you shouldn't be staying around Katherine, come back with me...I'm going to the Boarding where Damon and Stefan are...they can help you." I said.

She suddenly looked sad. She glanced around nervously.

"I would...but I can't. She sent me here to do something and I have to Elena, I am so sorry." She shook her head looking mortified.

I was suddenly on edge. She reached out and hugged me. And then pulled away.

"Please forgive me." She said. She reached out and grabbed my necklace. I heard the hiss of the vervain against her skin. "Geez that stuff hurts!" She said shaking her hand.

"No Charlotte, you don't have to do this." I said reaching behind me to try to open the door.

"Yes I do." She said.

I looked back to her.

"Elena...your going to the boarding house, you are going to get to the roof and jump off." She said.

I watched her eyes and suddenly that was all I could see, her coppery eyes.

"I'll jump." I said agreeing.

"Yes." She said. "Now go." Charlotte said. And suddenly she was gone.

I drove off and made it to the boarding house after a few minutes. My mind felt clouded and I only had one goal in mind. Get to the roof.

I walked into the house and noticed the guys hadn't made it back. I walked up the stairs and into Stefan's room. I found the hatch door that led to the roof and pulled it down. I walked up the stairs and found myself stepping out onto the roof. I walked down the middle beam to the edge. Looking over I realized it was very very high off the ground. Thunder broke through the sky and large raindrops began to fall. I stood on the edge for a minute, battling something in my mind, an argument about what I was doing that I couldn't bring into full consciousness.

"It's all going to be so wonderful." I heard Katherine say behind me. I turned and looked at her. She smiled brightly. "We're all going to be so happy." She said. I turned back to the edge of the roof and looked to the ground below me that was so far away.

"No! Elena! No!" I head Damon yell. I got a quick glimpse of him in the far distance. I lifted my arms out to the side of me and fell to my death.

"Elena, please wake up!" I heard Damon beg. I looked up to see his face twisted in pain, his eyes red and swollen from tears.

"Damon..." I whispered. I was overwhelmed by a wave of emotion. I felt my face tighten, it was a strange feeling and before my eyes fluttered shut again I could feel the distinct feeling of sharp canines growing in my mouth.

**Please leave reviews :D**


	14. Drink Of Life

**Note: The first part of this chapter was written to Damien Rice The Blower's Daughter. Enjoy. **

I was cold. The rain was coming down hard. Damon had skidded to his knees on the ground when he finally reached me in the front of the boarding house. He jerked me into his arms, rocking back and forth.

"Elena!" He cried. I couldn't answer. I was in too much pain, I could tell my body was severely broken. I just let Damon hold me.

"Damon, she's dying." I heard Stefan say with desperation in his voice. I felt Stefan try to grab my arm, to try to pull me away from Damon but Damon jerked me away and held me closer.

I felt the pain suddenly disappear, I was numb, and I felt my weak heart begin to stammer. Before long, I didn't feel my heart beat anymore at all. Darkness. I felt the rhythmic jerk in Damon's body as he broke into sobs. Darkness.

"Elena, please wake up!" I heard Damon beg. I looked up to see his face twisted in pain, his eyes red and swollen from tears.

"Damon..." I whispered. I was overwhelmed by a wave of emotion. I felt my face tighten, it was a strange feeling and before my eyes fluttered shut again I could feel the distinct feeling of sharp canines growing in my mouth.

"Elena!" His face snapped into shock. "She's awake." He looked across to Stefan who was standing on the other side of me. I began to shiver. The rain was still coming strongly.

"Let's get her inside." I heard Stefan say. I closed my eyes again. The lights coming from the windows of the boarding house were hurting my eyes. My mouth felt like it was on fire. My gums were sore and pulsing.

"Stefan, draw a hot bath." Damon ordered. The lights of the living room upon entering almost caused as much pain to my eyes when they were closed. Damon sank back to his knees by the couch still holding me. He reached up and snatched a thick blanket off the back of the couch and began packing me in it. "I'm so glad your still here." He said in a strange broken sentence. I realized he was still crying. "I love you." He said stroking my hair over and over.

"Bring her up." Stefan said. I felt the air wash around me as we moved quickly up the stairs. I opened my eyes again on the way up the stairs.

"What are we doing?" I asked. As we made it into the bathroom I felt Damon putting me down. The warm water took over my body in instant relief. I looked around as I was submerged in the bath. Damon quickly took off his jacket and stepped in fully dressed. That's when I fully registered just how panicked he truly was. I looked down, realizing I was still in my gray shirt and jeans. He pulled me in against him.

"Just trying to get you warm." He said softly, his voice scratchy. I felt the throbbing pain in my gums again. I reached up and tried to touch them, shuddering with the pain.

"It hurts Damon." I choked out, feeling tears coming.

"I know Elena, I'm so sorry." He whispered pushing my head into his chest. I could tell he was crying again.

"I'm dying Damon." I said feeling like my body was too tired to carry on.

He grabbed my head between his hands and pulled me back to look directly into his eyes, a mere inch apart.

"You are not dying. You're never going to die, you're never going to leave me." He said. His face stayed strong until the last part and then his face twisted as tears came spilling out over his lashes. I had never seen Damon so stripped down to raw vulnerability. His eyes were a dark ocean blue behind the tears.

"Damon, don't cry." I said not being able to see the pain on his face. I reached up and touched his face as he broke into a sob, the reflection of the moving water around us sending illuminated ribbons across his face.

"Elena, I'm so sorry this happened to you. I know it's not what you wanted." He hung his head, looking away from me. I lifted his chin, raising his eyes to me.

"Damon this isn't your fault." I said, trying to ignore the pain in my gums and the fact that my eyes had shooting pain.

We just looked into each others eyes for a while, as he stroked my hair lightly.

"I love you, Damon." I whispered.

His face looked pained, he looked down and then back up. "I love you. More than you could know." He said.

There was a small tap on the door and Stefan came in holding some cloths.

"I went to the house and got you some of your cloths." Stefan said softly. He put the cloths down in a chair by the bath.

"Thank you." I said weakly. He nodded. Then he exchanged a strange glance with Damon, turned and left.

Damon pulled my cloths off throwing them aside and then grabbed a huge over sized black towel and helped me out of the tub. He dried me off and helped me get into some cloths. He led me into his room.

"Okay, just relax for a minute. I need to go get something so I'll be right back I promise." Damon said. I nodded, laying back and covering my eyes with my arm.

**Damon & Stefan**

"How did she get the blood in her system?" Stefan asked, as soon as Damon reached the bottom step.

Damon looked at Stefan and then ignored him walking over and pouring a full glass of scotch. He downed half of it.

"Tell me Damon." Stefan ordered.

"Seems like you already know the answer Stefan, so what gives with the mob style interrogation?" Damon answered.

"Is Elena the only one who can ever get anything real from you Damon? I can hear every word you say to her. I can hear how you say them. I know that you care Damon, so why do the walls ice over when your around everyone else?" Stefan said in firm aggravation.

"So we're continuing this interrogation? Yes?" Damon said coolly.

"Damon, I'm going to let go of the fact that you are the one that got the blood in her system and that it has resulted in this." He motioned towards the stairs. "But, you know what you have to do now, or she's going to die."

"Why do you think I'm down here? I was coming to get a bag from the fridge."

"Well, you just have it all figured out, don't you?" Stefan said with a small smile on his face.

Damon suddenly threw the glass he was holding sending it crashing against the wall as he snapped out of his serene facade. He flashed over to Stefan, standing inches from him.

"I'm doing what I have to do Stefan. If it wasn't for me giving her any blood she would be dead right now! I knew Katherine wouldn't stop until Elena was either dead or what she is now...between those two options...I choose Vampire. So why while you are stalking around in corners and making out with that evil bitch I'll be working on making her dead." Damon turned and began to bolt to the fridge.

"At least give her the choice to drink it. I didn't with you, not really...and you see how our relationship is now." Stefan said.

**Elena**

Damon walked into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. I opened my eyes to find Damon sitting forward his head bowed.

"Damon?" I said.

He sighed. "Elena. I know you're in a lot of pain right now. It's my fault. I should have never done this to you. But...I'm selfish." He said.

I sat up and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Damon, why are you saying this? What's wrong?" I asked.

Damon held out a clear glass to me. I took it and looked down knowing exactly what it was.

"If you drink that, you will be a vampire. Irreversibly. If you don't...you will die." He said.

"I know this, why are you telling me?" I asked.

"I'm giving you a choice." He said turning his pained eyes to me. "This isn't easy Elena. Being this...isn't easy. Ever." Damon said sincerely.

"Will you be with me always?" I asked.

"For as long as you want me." He answered.

With that, I tipped the glass back, closed my eyes and drank.

**Sorry for the short chapter, busy day :).I'll have the next chapter up soon. Reviews **


	15. Best Laid Plans

I had never tasted something so sweet as I drank down the glass Damon had handed to me. It was as if he had just handed me the most precious gift I could have ever asked for, besides himself. I felt my face tighten and my aching gums had lost it's pain and in it's place large sharp canines grew in it's place. I pulled the glass from my lips as I drank the last drop, noticing his face for the first time. He looked mystified...as if he were seeing the sky for the first time. A crooked smile stretched across his beautiful face.

"What?" I asked, feeling a wild warm sensation hot my body. I felt a sense of power run through my veins. I suddenly felt as if I could join a triathlon. The energy was overwhelming, along with the emotions hitting me so hard.

"I just, never thought I'd see you this way." Damon shrugged, still smiling.

I looked at his eyes, piercing a bright blue.. a shade of blue I had never seen before. I could see the individual specks of the silver dust like pattern in them. The strong dark lashes around them. His lips...his hair...his neck...his chest...I wanted him. I wanted him now.

I leaned forward to hold him close but what my body did instead was pin him against the far wall in a flash. His head bashed into the wall.

"Oh, Elena...mmmm...you have to be careful."

"Damon...oh no...I'm so sorry." I said.

"I know what your feeling right now, but you have to learn to channel it. And I'll teach you this" He said.

But all I saw was his lips moving, those lips..the way his hands were resting on my back.

I tore at him again, my lips wrecking into his.

"Mmm...okay." he agreed after a minute. He pulled my cloths off quickly as he backed me up this time back onto the bed. It was so familiar, yet so completely different. We knew our moves, before we decided on them, his already established beauty became more like true art now that I could see vivid details. I could spend the rest of eternity discovering knew breath taking angles of Damon.

A while later Damon was face deep in my hair as he laid next to me.

"I have to get back to the house, Damon." I said reluctantly.

Damon didn't even bother to answer...he wasn't happy about the idea.

"Don't?" He tried.

"Damon...I have to at least make an appearance over there. If I get grounded from being M.I.A then, what am I going to do?" I asked smiling.

"Nothing...I would just have to come stay with you." He smiled.

"Well, either way...it would be great." I smiled back.

"Okay, getting in the door should be fine considering you were already a dominate residency there...if not..call Jeremy...and if he can't invite you in then...call your knight in shining armor. Which is me...just so were clear." Damon joked.

I got into the car and backed out of the driveway. As I made my way home, I noticed that the night was just as bright and detailed as broad daylight. I could drive the car almost without thinking at all. I made my way home and up to the front door. I knocked...going to pretend I forgot my key.

"Elena! Where have you been! Come in!" Jenna said opening the door.

"Sorry Jenna, just a lot of drama and ice cream sessions."I lied, stepping through the door.

**Boarding House.**

Damon crossed the living room to answer the door. He opened it finding Charlotte standing there.

"Please tell me your a zombie...And if your after brains...Stefan's the one you want." He whispered hooking his thumb over his shoulder. "He's the one with the brains...I'm more about looks and charm." Damon said sarcastically.

"Damon, please. Just let me in." Charlotte pleaded.

He opened the door.

"Come in." He said gesturing towards indoors, trying to hide the look of surprise. "Oh yeah...sorry about the murdering you..thing." Damon said.

She walked inside and turned towards him,

"Whatever, Damon...I get it. But I'm just here to see if Elena's okay...plus..she said to come here...that I didn't have to stay with Katherine." She said.

"When did you see Elena?" Damon asked, his brow raised in question.

She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off.

"Wow Charlotte...I'm amazed at how fast you don't realize that I'll catch on." Katherine said emerging from out of nowhere.

Damon stepped in front of Charlotte protectively.

Stefan, who had been standing by the bookcase, alarmed with Charlotte's unexpected presence took a few steps toward Katherine.

"Katherine, what are you doing?" He asked, as if he was bored with her showing up.

"Oh Stefan...we haven't talked much since our little kiss." She said flashing to him. "I've missed you." She batted her eyelashes. Stefan looked at her for a long moment.

"Well, you got your wish, Elena is a vampire..." Damon said from behind her, breaking the undeniable gaze between Stefan and her.

"I didn't do it!" She pouted. "It was her!" She said pointing to Charlotte behind Damon.

Damon's eyes widened as he turned and looked at Charlotte's devastated face. He turned and looked back to Katherine.

"Look Damon." Katherine's face twisted into a smile. "No hands." She said raising her open hands in the air.

**Elena**

I laid in bed tossing and turning. I couldn't sleep without Damon. I couldn't sleep with this new power surge coursing it's way through my body..and all I could think about was the next time I would taste that sweetness. But the main thing I couldn't stop thinking about was the promise I had just made to myself. I would go to that banquet with Damon the day after next, given he gives me a ring to walk through the day soon enough. I would continue on as normal...if Caroline could do it...so could I. I would let Damon show me how to hunt...how to eat...and everything else he wanted to teach me. Then...I would distract him and I would go see Katherine...all by myself. I would always tell Damon the truth...but this one I would have to lie about...he would never allow it otherwise. I would find out once and for all what she wanted from me, what she wanted from Mason...and what she wanted with my precious Salvatore's.

**Horribly short chapter I know :( Sorry guys, I have a ton of stuff going on but I'm trying to give you what I can squeeze in..The new episode of VD was awesome but it threw me off a little b/c...well...my idea for this story seems to me going along with what they are doing lol. But...whatev...anyways...Reviews...and I think you'll really like the next chapter..hopefully. I'm going on a bold direction..but your all open minded wonderful readers. :D Reviews please!**


	16. Appointment

I managed for a couple of days to slide by Jeremy and Jenna unsuspected. I wasn't looking forward to telling anyone about what happened. I knew Jeremy would be, but most likely more because of his decision not too long ago to turn himself. I scolded him, asked him why he would want something like that. Now here I am. Bonnie was going to be furious, I even wondered if it would affect our friendship. Caroline would just be happy, convinced that we would be "BFF's" for eternity... I would wait to tell her as well.

So in order to avoid Jenna and Jeremy I was off again tonight to head over to the Boarding House. I hadn't seen Damon since I left the night I turned because I wanted to lay low at the house for a couple of days. Luckily Damon had a ring waiting for me, because over the last couple of day's I learned how much sun contact we really have, even indoors.

"Don't forget the banquet! And tell Bonnie I said Hello!" Jenna called as I left.

I felt overwhelming excitement beginning to build inside of me as I made it to the boarding house. I couldn't wait to see Damon. I pulled into the drive and headed for the door. Once I made it to the front door it swung open and Damon grabbed me and pulled me into him.

"It's about time." He said hugging me close. I smiled.

"I'm here." I smiled.

He put me back down and swept his eyes deeply over me, as if he were trying to burn every fiber of me into his memory to keep me there forever.

"Okay, You ready to wear this for..ever?" he asked digging in his pocket. I smiled. He brought out a ring that looked almost exactly like his but smaller. He took my hand and placed it on my finger.

"Thanks." I smiled, feeling relieved that I could finally walk outside during the day. I examined the ring and realized that it would be with me from now on no matter where or when it was.

"Welcome to the club." Stefan said smiling lightly as he entered the room.

"It's an honor?" I said smiling back.

Suddenly I felt a heaviness in my senses, something was off but I couldn't tell what. I began darting my eyes around the room, looking for a reason to feel the way I did, as If I were suddenly on alert.

"Somebody is here." I said, warning Damon and Stefan. I kept looking around the room but finding nothing. I looked at Damon and Stefan's face trying to figure out why they didn't seemed alarmed, let alone...surprised.

"Did you hear me?" I asked, growing frustrated.

Damon's lips fell tight and he glanced at Stefan before looking back at me.

"What's going on?" I demanded.

"Come and see." Damon said gesturing for me to follow. We made it down stairs and towards the cell. We made it to the closed door and I peered in finding Charlotte sitting against the wall. She glanced up to me in agony.

"Charlotte!" I said in shock.

"Elena, tell them to let me out!" She pleaded standing up.

I looked over at Damon with wide questioning eyes.

He shrugged. "She's working for Katherine...so...I locked her up." He said calmly crossing his arms in defense.

"No..let her out Damon...she's not working for Katherine...she's just doing what she's told to avoid the death penalty. You know how she works." I said.

He stared at me for a long moment, trying to find a reason to say no...but then he sighed and opened the door.

She walked out staring at Damon in anger. "Asshole." She muttered.

"Watch it..or I'll charge you room and board for this cell." He snapped back.

I wanted to ask Charlotte so many questions, most importantly where Katherine was staying...but I didn't want to raise any suspicion in Damon. I had to stay subtle. I couldn't mess this up.

I brought out blankets and pillows for Charlotte and placed them in one of the bedrooms on the north side of the house while Charlotte left to hunt. Animals luckily.

"I don't trust her Elena." I heard Damon say. I turned to find him leaned against the door frame.

I tossed the last pillow down and smiled at him. I walked up to him running my finger lightly through his hair.

"Please don't worry. She had a normal unsuspecting life not even a week ago Damon. Next thing she knows, she's being kidnapped by a bunch of strangers and killed by her new crush. Then she has a sadistic vampire threatening what life she has left unless she does something for her. It's hard to judge." I explained. He nodded.

"Fine...I'll try to keep that in mind." Damon agreed. I kissed him then, and sank into the unforgiving hunger for his love.

The next day Damon and I made our way through the woods. The sun was high over head and it shot through the trees feeling warm against my skin.

"Okay, we'll start with animals as you have requested and then later I'll teach you how to pounce on unsuspecting humans." He grinned.

I laughed. "No way." I said, shaking my head. I looked over at him but suddenly he was gone and nothing but blank open forest replaced him. I was hit with a sudden bolt of fear.

"Damon!" I yelled.

"Yes?" He asked. I turned to find him behind me.

"You scared me." I said.

"Try it." He said.

"What?" I asked laughing.

"Come on, you have to tap into the power you have. It's pretty freeing I have to say." He said.

Without thinking about it I dashed off to the left, letting my legs pump underneath me as fast as I could. But it startled me when I was suddenly over forty feet away, Damon nowhere in sight. I dashed back the same way and jumped onto a low branch hanging a little above Damon.

"Whoa." I said. He looked up and laughed.

"See?" It's a better written super hero movie...with first person point of view." He smiled. He jumped up onto the branch and draped his bod over mine, kissing my neck softly. When his kisses became heavy and needing I sighed in euphoria.

"What about hunting?"I managed to say.

"Later." He purred.

**Boarding House**

Stefan sat in his room pouring over books about werewolves. He couldn't drop the feeling that they were only a distraction, something small in the grand picture. He closed the book he was in and tossed it to the side.

"They have you studying some pretty interesting topics in that little high school of yours." He turned to find Katherine perched on the edge of his bed.

"And what brings you here? Again." He asked, turning his chair around and folding his arms.

"Oh, just thought I'd drop in, see how things are. Where's Damon and Elena?" She asked.

"Out." He answered shortly.

"Somebody is a little snappy today." Katherine smiled.

"What do you want Katherine?" Stefan asked, feeling not at all amused.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about the night we kissed." She said.

Stefan narrowed his eyes. "I doubt that's why your here." He said.

She stood up and stomped her foot. "Why is it so hard to actually believe that I love you Stefan! I know we have our differences but come on! I know you think nothing of me other than being manipulative and a liar but it's a little hypocritical of you Stefan to act like I'm so heartless when your brother isn't that much different than me! Elena isn't even that much different than me, she just hasn't had time to make some of the mistakes that I have. You claimed to love me so deeply and now...nothing. You may not agree with my behavior...but I know you Stefan and It's just not right for you to not feel anything for me now."

"What's your point." Stefan shrugged.

"My point is, it doesn't make sense...so that's why I know you do still love me. You're just afraid of what that might mean." She answered calmly.

"Get out." Stefan demanded crossing the room in a flash and stopping within a few inches from her.

"No." She said.

Before there was another word they were tangled tightly in an embrace. Kissing wildly.

**Elena**

Damon flashed a breathtaking smile as we jumped to the ground.

"I can't get enough of you." Damon said pulling me in again and holding me to him. I smiled and buried my head into his chest. Before I knew it a flash of Stefan's face hit my mind, and a longing ache hit my chest. I jerked back in shock and looked at Damon's face.

"You okay?" He asked, his brows pulling together in concern. I shook away the feeling and nodded. We turned to walk further into the woods. I concentrated on Damon buttoning up the rest of his shirt when all the of the sudden I felt a inescapable need to have Stefan. I wanted him. To be near me, to see his face, to hear his voice. I loved him.

I gasped and took a step back trying to physically escape the feeling that was attacking me. I felt as much love for Stefan suddenly as I felt for Damon. I pressed my palms to the side of my head and squeezed my eyes shut. But that only resulted in more images of Stefan. The way he looked when he used to kiss me, the way he looked when I woke up beside him on the mornings, and how I felt when he was my only one.

"Elena?" Damon said, his face growing helpless. "Talk to me." He said.

"I just...I- Just need to eat something." I lied.

The next day I stood in front of the mirror checking myself over. I wore a dark green dress with a black cardigan. I smiled to myself knowing Damon would love it. We were about to head out to the banquet. Charlotte was jumping at the chance to go back out into public so she had decided to go as well.

"Pretty." She smiled walking into the lavish downstairs bathroom where I stood.

"You to." I smiled taking in her dark brown off the shoulder dress shirt and white dress pants. Her honey hair tumbled over her shoulders making her look like a model fit for a runway. She stood next to me in the mirror poking at her face.

"Elena...I'm so sorry about everything." She said sincerely. I could sense that she had wanted to say that for a while.

"It's okay, I get it...what were you supposed to do?" I asked.

"The right thing Elena...to go ahead and except whatever fate had to give me. You didn't deserve what I did." She said now turning to me in sincerity.

"And do you believe that you deserved everything that happened to you?" I asked.

Her face fell in overwhelming sadness.

"Charlotte. Your a good person, you really are. I forgive you. It's not you that did this to me it was Katherine. Both of us are the victim here. Don't worry okay. You have me, Damon and Stefan. I'll never leave you out in the cold." I said. She hugged me suddenly.

"Thank you, Elena." She said.

I smiled.

"Hey, can I ask you a question?" I said.

"Mmhmm." She nodded.

"Hey ladies. Looking beautiful." Damon said appearing in the doorway. "Thanks." Charlotte smiled. She turned back to me.

"So what was your question?" She asked.

"Oh, nothing...I forgot." I laughed.

"Play it cool." Damon smiled as we made our way to the out door banquet near the woods at city hall. Everyone was already there and I glanced around nervously wondering how people were going to react seeing me arm in arm with Damon. Especially Jenna, Jeremy and Bonnie. At least Bonnie had a heads up on Damon and I. I was nervous but at the same time I didn't care. Damon looked absolutely dashing in his White collard button down, his sleeves pushed half way up his arm and black pants. He reminded me of those movie business men coming home after a long day, going business casual. He pulled it off so well I felt a wildness begin to rise in me and considered pulling him into the woods to satisfy that feeling. But I remembered the warning about channeling my feelings and tried to calm myself down. But that only resulted in me having a smile stretched across my face that I couldn't get rid of.

"Elena." Jeremy said. I turned feeling my stomach jump realizing I wasn't worried at all, I felt a thrill out of this. He looked at me questioningly. His eyes jumping back and forth between me and Damon.

"I'll go get us a seat." Damon leaned in a whispered in my ear, then he kissed my hair and ambled off.

"Hey Jer." I smiled.

"What's ...going on?" He asked, his thumb curving towards Damon.

"It's just...a new thing." I said...not knowing at all what to say.

"That's...like...the hookup of the century" Jeremy said, his eyes wide.

"Yeah."

"What about Stefan?" He asked suddenly glancing across the crowd to see if he could spot him.

"He's getting used to it." I shrugged.

"Did he like..trick you into this?" Jeremy asked growing suspicious. His eyes narrowing.

I laughed. "No Jer...He didn't." I answered. But he didn't smile he just continued to stare.

"There's something different about you." He said walking closer to me. I took a step back. Suddenly afraid he had realized just how different I was. That's when I saw her. Katherine standing at the edge of the woods. She smiled and waved.

"Uh, Jeremy..I'll be right back." I said and walked away before he could respond.

I darted my way towards the woods, concentrating on not being to quick.

"Love the dress." Katherine smiled as I made it right inside the woods.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Why am I ever anywhere?" She smiled.

I suddenly had her pined against a tree. She looked at me, her eyes wide with surprise. Then she erupted in laughter. I let her go.

"Oh my Elena...that was impressive. You really have taken on this new you so well. It was definitely meant to be." She said almost seeming excited.

I turned and peered down the hill back to the banquet and back to her.

"I need to know where your staying." I said.

"And why is that?" She asked.

"Because I'd like to arrange a visit." I said.

"Fair enough. It's about time we hung out. I'm staying at the bed and breakfast your mother just so recently was at." She said.

"You knew my mom...that Isobel was here?" I asked in surprise.

"I'm not stupid Elena." She rolled her eyes but smiled.

"Fine, I'll see you tomorrow then." I said.

"Can't wait!" She said smiling. "Should we rent movies? Go to lunch?" She asked. I shook my head and sighed making my way back to the banquet.

**So sorry for the delay. Halloween is party time lol. Anyways...here's the new chapter and another one will be here soon. Hope you're liking it. Reviews please! :D **


	17. My Choice

As I began to make my way to the clearing of the woods I heard a rustle behind me and realized Katherine had vanished. I walked a few more feet when I heard someone moving behind me again.

"That was an interesting conversation." Damon said stepping out of nowhere.

"Oh..Damon..." I said at a loss of words. I realized he had heard everything, more importantly..the part when I had arranged to meet up with Katherine.

"Oh..Damon." He mocked sarcastically. "Yeah, I was here..." He said, his face growing very serious.

"I'm sorry Damon, I have to...I've got to get to the bottom of things." I explained.

"Don't worry, it's fine." He said, casually pushing the sleeves up on his white collard shirt.

"Really, are you sure?" I said, feeling relieved that he agreed so easily.

"Yeah, cause you're not going." He said crossing his arms and tilting his head.

"Yes..I am, Damon." I said, suddenly growing angry.

He raised his brows clearly protesting my statement. A solid challenge.

"You're not going to tell me what to do, Damon." I said, not wanting to...but the challenge was there and I would win this one.

"Oh yeah?" He smiled lightly.

"I'm serious. I'll be fine okay? She hasn't killed me yet...there must be a reason..a reason for a lot of things Damon. I will find out...all by myself." I said.

"You're not going." Damon said serious again.

I took several steps to him making sure to stomp my foot with every step.

"Watch me." I said.

A crooked grin stretched across his face, doused in pure beauty and smugness.

"Mmm, fiesty...It's been a while since I've seen that little attitude." His eyes widened and fell quickly. "I like it." He purred, doing that eye thing that gives me chills.

I rolled my eyes and turned to walk away. He caught my wrist and I jerked out of his grasp, and without meaning to sent him stumbling backwards. I wanted to stop and tell him I was sorry, that I would have to be crazy to ever push him like that...but I was so mad. I began to storm off. But then I felt the grips of his hands on my shoulders and before I knew it my back hit a tree and I was standing pinned between the tree and him. He looked down at me, his eyes angry, maybe even dangerous.

Before I could even think I grabbed the back of his hair and pressed my mouth into his, kissing him wildly. I was addicted to him. Nothing would ever stop that. We kissed for a long time and I felt his cool hand slide up my leg, under my dress.

"Don't think this is going to change my mind." I whispered.

"Mine either." He spoke deeply in my ear.

A few minutes later we heard movement near us and we both looked over to see Alaric trying to walk away quietly.

"Sneaking doesn't quite work with our kind Alaric." Damon said grinning.

He turned quickly. His face a mess with confusion, amusement and shock.

"Oh...I uhhh...I'm sorry I ..uhh."

"Hey...don't worry...it's what it looks like." Damon said smiling walking closer to him, leaving me straightening out my dress, horrified by being caught by Alaric. Damon's one liner jokes weren't helping.

"I just...saw you come up here and I wanted to talk to you in private anyway." Alaric explained. His hands jammed deep into his pocket with awkwardness. I was thankful for his request and began to walk away quickly.

"No...Elena..it's fine if you stay I just meant, private from everyone else...especially Jenna." Alaric explained much to my dismay.

"Oh, Okay..." I answered trying to seem happy with getting to stay.

"What's going on?" Damon asked.

"I was wondering about that Charlotte girl. She was reported missing a few days ago and now all of the sudden she's just walking around as if nothing happened." Alaric said.

"Katherine, and Mason Lockwood are the cause of that. She's a vampire now. If you're concerned with who is responsible for her now...that would be us." Damon answered sounding slightly annoyed.

"Ah, I see." He nodded. I could tell that Alaric wanted to ask more questions, but I could also tell he was dying to get away from us and the weirdness. "Well, we'll talk more about it later." Alaric said. He glanced over at me and then back to Damon. "Okay...well...I'll go." He said and turned quickly.

We spent another hour or so mingling with everyone at the banquet. Bonnie, seemed more amused but annoyed at Damon and I together than angry. Caroline was hyper and happy as usual and I got a questioning glare from Jenna that I wasn't looking forward to following up on. Finally we left and made our way back to the boarding house.

"So I'm thinking we should finish what we started earlier." Damon said as we made our way to the front door of the boarding house.

"Yeah, we need to talk about it more." I said.

"That's not exactly what I was talking about." Damon said.

As I opened the door, I was struck with a sudden sensation I couldn't make out quite at first..but then I was hit suddenly like I was the other day in the woods with an overwhelming sensitivity to Stefan. The fine details of his eyes, his lips..the smooth perfect contours of his body hit my mind. Without even thinking I raced up stairs and to his room, Damon not far behind me asking me what was going on. I barged into Stefan's room finding Katherine in his arms that were wrapped around her waist.

"Kathrine?" I said, not even meaning to.

"Oh, Hi." She she said acting delighted to see us. Stefan looked shocked to see me standing there, a look of apology on his face, looking right at me.

"Are you serious?" Damon said behind me.

There was a long deafening silence. I looked at Katherine, feeling anger grabbing me by the throat. She looked right at me and smiled.

"What's wrong Elena? Do you miss Stefan? We're you thinking how much you really do love him. You want him don't you?" She said, sounding cheerful. Her voice faded to silent because suddenly all I could see was Stefan. Stefan who was gazing at me. Miserably trying to apologize with his eyes.

I began to walk towards him, my hand stretching out sightly towards him.

"Elena?" Stefan whispered.

"Stefan..I..." I reached out to touch his face.

"Elena!" Damon said behind me. The silence was ruptured and I spun to look at Damon who's eyes were filled with fury and hurt. He looked at Katherine, his eyes piercing an ice blue. "What are you doing Katherine?" He ordered.

"Actually...I'm not doing anything." She answered, smiling but strongly confident in her answer.

"Oh no...I'm sorry." I said shaking my head violently, looking around at all the faces. Stefan looked confused and sad but Katherine looked genuinely happy and pleased in a way I had never seen her before. I turned and stormed out hearing Katherine's faint laugh in the background.

I made it to Damon's room and sat down on the bed throwing my face into my hands, trying to let the tears come that wanted to escape so badly.

I heard the sound of Damon making his way into the room. He shut the door slowly and I felt him sit down on the bed beside me.

"Elena, what's going on?" He asked quietly. When I didn't answer he walked a little closer, standing over me while I sat on the bed. "Elena, maybe I haven't been fair. I just wanted you so badly that maybe I pressured you. Maybe you just got caught up and it was too early..."

I looked up at him suddenly, his eyes shining with tears, desperation and fear written across his face. "No...NO Damon. That is NOT true." I got up and walked to where I was standing mere inches from him. "I love you, only you. I have never felt like this about anyone. Don't you ever say anything like that again. I'm so sorry..." I said. I tear brimmed over his lashes and glided down his face. "Damon, I don't know what's going on, but now you see why I need to talk to her. You know I do...you know it's the best way. I love you..." I said touching his face. I grabbed the collar of his shirt on either side with my hands and pulled him closer. I met my lips to his and we kissed deeply.

"Elena, I love you." He whispered. I pulled him onto the bed and we collapsed into the deepest embrace until we were both kissing wildly. The sky had grown dark and rain began to pour outside. The french doors in his room were open letting the scent of wet earth fill the room. He touched every angle of my body putting me in a state between heaven and earth. It was as if our flesh had melted away baring nothing more then our souls mingling together. This wasn't just passion, this was pure love being painted on a canvass, more intricate and beautiful than any piece of art that could ever be created.

"Okay...all you have to do is dial my number. You don't have to say anything...just push call and let my cell ring and I'll be in within seconds...got it?" Damon asked for the billionth time.

"Got it." I answered. I really was listening to him but I couldn't help but to gaze dreamily at him through the haze of the heaven I had been in since yesterday evening. But somewhere on the edged of my bliss was a worrisome nagging, a small fear of what I was about to do. I couldn't believe I would be alone with Katherine, given that Damon would be somewhere outside waiting for me. I glanced out of the passenger side window, watching the rain running down the window warp and twist the images of the cars parked around us.

"Okay. Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked again.

"Yes." I said, trying to convince both him and I.

"Okay." He sighed. He reached over and tucked my hair behind my ear. He kissed my forehead once and then kissed me sweetly on the lips.

"Please...be careful." he said frowning with worry.

"I will. Damon?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you." I said.

"Oh, Elena...god I love you to." He said pressing his forehead to mine for a moment.

Before I could change my mind I turned quickly and got out of the car and dashed across the parking lot into the bed and breakfast.

Once inside, out of the rain I was met with a girl with a kind face standing behind the counter of the first floor lobby.

"Hey there, how can I help you?" She asked smiling. Her short bobbed blond hair was tucked neatly behind her ears showing to spheres of silver on each ear.

"Hi, I'm here to see Katherine Pierce?" I said not knowing if that was what I was supposed to do.

"Um...I'm sorry?" Her face became deeply troubled and confused.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"Aren't ..YOU Katherine?" She asked looking nervous.

Suddenly I realized what this must have been like for her. How stupid of me.

"Oh Elena, you made it." Katherine appeared at the bottom of the stairs. I looked at Katherine suddenly very nervous. I glanced between her and the girl at the counter. "Oh you must have been so confused Kimberly." Katherine laughed. "This is my sister. Elena." Katherine chimed strangely polite joining my side.

"Oh, I love twins!" Kimberly clasped her hands together in excitement.

"Well, we would love to stick around and chat but we have a lot of catching up to do." Katherine said squeezing her arm around my shoulders.

"Oh okay! Well have a nice day!" Kimberly waved as I made my way upstairs with Katherine.

We made our way into her room. I don't know what I was expecting. Like a dungeon or a fiery pit with hob goblins. Everything was clean, simple and it even smelled good. Like a light scent of tea and cider.

"So, where do we start?" Katherine turned to me smiling, her dark curled hair dancing around her shoulders.

"We can start with why you did this to me." I said dryly.

"Did what? Turn you! Elena you can't be serious!" She said, her face filled with shock. So much shock I began to second guess my question.

"I can't?" I asked, trying to stick to my guns.

"I did you a favor, don't act like I didn't!" She said pointing at me, her face truly angry.

"A favor, Katherine! You turned me into a monster!" I shouted.

"Give me a break. That's one thing you need to improve on Elena...not being so simple. Is Damon a monster to you?" She asked suddenly.

My body went weak thinking of Damon. The beauty of his details, his ocean eyes, his gentle hands, the thought of him being a monster was like calling the constellations hideous.

"No." I answered, letting my will to fight already bend.

"What were you planning to do if I hadn't turned you Elena?" She asked, crossing her arms and smiling.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"How long were you going to stick by his side? What were you going to do when you began to look more like his mother than his girlfriend? His grandmother?" She asked becoming more and more amused. She was winning already. I stood in silence unsure of what to say. "I did you a favor. You will be frozen forever like this. Beautiful, strong...alive." She said.

"Fine, let's say you did me a favor. Why?" I asked. Her face fell, we had ventured into the part of the conversation that she was afraid of. "Why did you do this? What is it that you want so desperately Katherine?" I asked, suddenly feeling on top of things again at the sign of her weakness.

"I want Stefan, and I want Damon." She answered.

My veins went ice cold at the sound of Damon's name on her lips, saying she wanted him.

"Well...you can only have one." I snapped.

"Exactly." She smiled.

"So if you have some kind of game plan...fill me in...apparently I'm a key player." I said.

She smiled lightly and then turned towards the window. For a while it was silent, only the sound of the rain hitting the roof in an even pattern to fill the gap in between our talking.

"I met Isobel when she had just become pregnant with you." Katherine said, still gazing out of the window. I walked a few steps closer. "She had been studying about our kind for a while at that point. She peaked my interest when she came to ask a friend of mine some information about vampires. My friend was a witch. I was standing right there listening to her whole conversation, the whole time, her not knowing she was standing in the presence of one. I thought about just killing her for asking too many questions...but then she mentioned she was pregnant. Something about her drew me to her...and then after a little studying of my own I found an answer to what I wanted all along."

"What was that?" I asked, trying to edge her along when she stopped to stare out into the rain.

"I told you. Damon and Stefan." She said. She turned towards me and walked a little closer. "All I ever wanted was the two of them. Yes, I have a little more of a weakness for Stefan. But Damon has always been just as much of a desire as Stefan. I love Stefan, and I love Damon but the two of them..together...it's all I've ever wanted...and I will have them Elena." Katherine said, looking very serious."

"So what did you study, what did you find?" I asked.

"I found a spell. A spell that could be cast on an unborn child. Stripping it's soul away so that they would be born empty of one. Then..you could use another spell to fill them with some of your own soul...then it would literally be two of you. They would feel everything you felt, you would feel everything they felt. They would be an extension of your soul. And by doing that to you I could have both brothers. A part of me with Stefan, a part of me with Damon. See with part of my soul in you...and you void of one...you would naturally love them too." She said, amazed at herself for the genius plan.

But now I was barely listening to her. What was she saying? That I don't have as soul? That I was just sharing a soul with her? That I only loved the Salvatore's because I was made that way! I began backing up, somehow feeling like if I moved I could escape the horror that I was in.

"No...I love Damon...I love him truly!" I said, my voice shaking with anger and fear.

She laughed. "Calm down Elena."

"Why should I! I'm nothing but a puppet ..I'm you!" I began to panic.

"Unfortunately Elena...no your not me. See something backfired along the way. Apparently the witch saw that you were going to look exactly like me. So instead of helping me by doing the spell, she simply pretended...even after I had made a deal with Isobel to let me cast the spell, promising I would send her to a trusty vampire to turn her. Through someone else of course. Seeing that Damon thought I was dead. Apparently the witch thought it would be funny and good lesson for me to have a fresh new me running around as competition."

"So there is no spell on me?" I asked.

"Not exactly." She shrugged. "You wound up being born with a soul, which I only came to find out that recently when Isobel reported back to me that you were in fact with Stefan...but you were very compassionate and very much softer than I am. She was convinced you had a soul of your own...which I later found to be very true. Funny thing is...You look identical to me..and you just so happened to steal the hearts of the only two men in this world that I want. Then I realized something new about a week ago. When ever we're in close enough proximity. I can feel what you feel, and you can feel what I feel. It's almost exactly like the spell but it came naturally which is all still a mystery to me. You naturally with your own will, and your own heart found Stefan and Damon...and fell in love." She shook her head in wonder.

"So what is it exactly that you want from me?" I asked.

"I want us to all be together. We'll all stay close together, you can have both brothers and so can I. The best part is, we won't miss a single second of feelings we have with them...because we will always share that as long as were close. We can be sisters Elena, with the most beautiful brothers...we can be powerful together...we can have whatever we want.." Katherine said, growing excited as she spoke.

"No." I said.

"No?" She asked surprised.

"No, Damon is mine...and I wont share him with anyone." I said.

"Elena...I'm trying to be nice!" She snapped.

"No, you're just trying to get what you want." I said.

"Oh trust me Elena...if I wasn't trying to be nice...I would already have everything I want. I'm trying to give you a choice...that's as generous as I get." She said walking closer to me.

"Really? Well then what is your other options?" I challenged.

"Well, if you won't go with the nice, peaceful plan...then I'll go with my next one...and that's to torment you into it...which is pathetic I know...but I'll do it. Like I said...I WILL get what I want." She snapped.

"What is your next plan?" I asked.

"Well.." She began pacing across the room back and forth. "First I'll tear you and Damon apart...I'll even have one of my witch friends put a spell on him to where he will only want me. Then...if you still won't do it then I'll go to the best plan."

"Which is?" I pushed.

"Well I know a way that I can go back to my original plan...I'll take your soul. There's a certain spell that can remove a soul from a vampire and attach it to a stone." She explained.

"A stone?" I asked beyond fear.

"Yes, it's called a moonstone." She said.

I gasped.

"Then...you will be my puppet just like I wanted to begin with." She answered. "So...you see...the choice I'm offering is actually quite generous I would say." She shrugged. "We will share the brothers. Cause as much as you are in my way Elena...I like the idea of us all just being one big happy family." She smiled. "So what do you say?" She smiled.

My body was numb with fear. I began to take a few steps back and then I bolted towards the door. "Think about it...you haven't got much time!" She called behind me.

I raced downstairs and into the parking lot. Damon was out of the car and met me in the pouring rain and I crashed into his arms. I began sobbing.

"Elena! What's wrong? What did she say?" He asked.

"Let's leave Damon, we have to get out of here. Let's go away with each other...let's just get lost." I cried.

He looked down at me, his face mirroring the horror on mine.

"What's going on?" He asked in almost a whisper.

"Please Damon I'm begging you." I said before wrapping my arms tightly around him, holding him as close as I could as the rain ran down our bodies.

**Reviews :) Thanks for reading!**


	18. The Flight to NYC

We stood for what seemed like forever in the rain as I grasped onto him as tightly as I could. I thought maybe if I held him close enough that nothing could ever happen to us and we would remain the same forever.

"What did she say, Elena?" He asked sternly. I couldn't help but to just whimper in reply.

"Okay, I've had enough." He said and jerked out of our embrace storming towards the building. I caught up to him and grabbed his arm.

"No! Just stay away from her, let's just go Damon..please." I begged.

"No..I'm going to talk to her, I have to end this." He said shaking his head violently.

"Damon. Please." I said sternly. His eyes narrowed as he looked at me. Silently pondering his choice to give in to my plead or to go forth with his actions. Finally he sighed and I loosened my grip on his arm.

"Fine...get to the car." He said finally, not sounding happy. He placed his hand on the small of my back as he led me through the rain back to the car. We got in and he squealed out of the parking lot and drove in a blur through the rain back to the boarding house.

He stormed through the front door of the boarding house and I followed close behind him. Stefan was walking down the stairs when suddenly Damon snatched him up in a blur and threw him down the rest of the stairs. I gasped in shock. Stefan looked around wildly unaware of what was going on. He began to get up but Damon kicked him in the side so hard that Stefan fell back to the floor.

"What are you doing!" I gasped again.

"Sorry Elena, I just need to have a little chat with my brother." Damon said through gritted teeth. He leaned down and snatched Stefan from the ground by his shirt and stood him on his wavering feet.

"Damon, what the hell is your problem?" Stefan said in shock.

"My problem?" Damon said pointing at his own chest. He hissed a short laugh, smiling wildly. "My problem is that little bitch girlfriend of yours Stefan. I'm sick of her game, she's dead Stefan do you hear me!" Damon yelled.

"She's not my girlfriend Damon." Stefan said calmly, his jaw set in assurance.

"Oh give me a break, Stefan. You've been back and forth with her for a week. Let me guess, you got caught up in her words, it was a mistake blah blah blah... I'm getting sick and tired of your pathetic excuses Stefan. It takes two to tango little brother and trust me, you two have been dominating the dance floor recently. Now, I know you feel guilty given that she is an evil bitch...but let this be a warning.." Damon said his face now a mere inch from Stefan's. "I'm running out of patience, she's going to wind up dead very very soon." Damon said.

"What is going on?" Charlotte's voice sounded out. Damon turned and looked at Charlotte.

"Good question zombie...very very good question." Damon replied. Then he stormed up stairs and I followed. Once we made our way into the room Damon stopped in mid pace across the floor.

"Elena, what did she say to you?" He asked, his eyes burning in question.

"No Damon, I told you ..I want to leave. Let's just get away and I'll explain everything. Please Damon...please." I said my eyes filling with tears.

"Elena, running isn't going to help us, if she wants to find us she will." Damon explained calmly.

"I don't care! We have to try, please." I asked again.

He sighed, his face softening as he looked at me.

"Fine. But we have to do this right. Most likely if she's watching anyone she's watching you. Our best bet is to do this separately. Go home. Make your presence known..do some homework, take a shower, try to eat some food in front of Jenna...try to be as normal as possible for the night. I'll go ahead and go and I'll send for you as soon as possible. We'll get there and hope she's doesn't know or doesn't follow. And then, you have to tell me what is going on okay?" He asked.

I nodded. He kissed me on the forehead.

"Okay, well...go ahead and go. I promise I'll send for you soon." He said.

I hugged him tightly. "I love you so much Damon." I said.

"I love you Elena." He said quietly.

**The Next Day -DAMON-**

It didn't take Damon time at all to tap into the New York blood bank and stock up for the room he got at the Waldorf Astoria. He paced himself walking through the grand hotel lobby and to the elevator with the dark roll away bag in tow. He smiled lightly to himself as he stepped onto the crowded elevator amongst all the humans unaware that he had several gallons of human blood squeezed into his bag. He also felt firm comfort in the fact that Elena would be there by the evening. He had sent for her late last night and as much as he didn't like the idea, he was having Stefan escort her to New York City.

The elevator finally stopped at his floor and he made his way down the hall to the room. As he walked in the handle of the bag slipped from his fingers when he found Katherine sitting on the bed, her legs crossed, smiling. He slammed the door to the room.

"You are kidding me." He said darkly.

"Am I?" She smiled.

He left the bag laying on the floor and briskly crossed the room towards her. He stopped right in front of her looking down at her in amazement. "Katherine..please...please inform me about how I might be able to escape you." He said blankly.

"Oh Damon." She laughed lightly, standing to meet his gaze only a few inches from him.

"Don't be silly. You don't want to escape me." She said calmly. She reached up and softly ran her fingers down the side of his face.

"You're right." He whispered. "You are right where I want you." He said softly.

Her face fell serious as she gazed into his eyes.

He reached up and snapped her wrist, the sound of it crunching under his grasp. She fell to her knees slowly, looking up in horror at his wicked smile as she choked on the pain.

"What are you doing?" She barely managed to say.

"I'd say I'm being merciful Katherine, compared to what I'm planning on doing to you." He said darkly.

She jerked away from him, setting her wrist back into place and waiting for a painful moment for it to heal. Once it was healed he lunged towards her again but she managed to thrust her hands into his chest sending him stumbling backwards. She advanced on him as he struggled to get to his feet. She lunged right onto him but he wrapped his arms around her and slammed her to the floor beneath him.

"Mmm, I like this." She purred.

"Stop it!" Damon roared. He grabbed her shoulders and slammed her into the floor again. "Just stop it Katherine!"

She sighed. "Geez Damon, you're seriously bumming me out." She said sarcastically. She flashed out from under him and was back to sitting on the bed in a mere second.

"What are you doing here once again, Kat? Once again where you are not welcome at all." Damon said walking towards her until he came to a stop in front of her.

She rubbed her wrist and frowned. "That really hurt." She said.

"As it was intended." He said.

She smiled looking up at him. "You called me Kat." She said. "I haven't heard that since you were still a human."

"Well, I have a whole new list of names for you now. Want to hear them?" Damon snapped.

"Not really." She said.

Damon sighed and sat down on the bed next to her. "Katherine, I am asking you...please...just let me be happy."

She stared at him with no expression for a moment. Then she smiled lightly. "Do you remember that evening in the courtyard, right after you found out what I was?" Katherine asked.

Damon shrugged. "That was a long time ago. I'm not really a traveler of the old memory lane Katherine. Don't mistake me for the walking John Mayer song, that's my little brother." Damon said flatly.

"Just tell me if you remember it Damon. Please." She asked.

He looked to the floor for a long moment. "Yes. I remember." He said quietly.

"We laid in the grass until the sun went down, talking, watching the sky. You had just gotten back from the war. I Was so happy to see you. So happy to have you home. Stefan was always the text book gentlemen. But you...you were kind,vulnerable and soft. But you were real. No by the book manners...you we're just ...you. I had chaperoned elegant dinners with Stefan, then I ran barefooted with you through the woods at night. Two half's to perfection." She said.

Damon's eyes raised to hers. "Why are you saying all this?" He asked.

"Because, I'm more broken hearted right now then I have ever been in my existence." She said looking at him deeply.

He narrowed his eyes in question.

"I can't believe I am responsible for this anger. The ice that has formed around such a warm heart." She said reaching out and resting her hand on his chest. Damon frowned looking down at her hand and then back up to her. She noticed his glance and how he was suddenly on edge. "I guess what I'm trying to say is...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I hurt you like I did." She said. "I respect Elena for being smart enough to see through to the anger to the part that's good." She said.

**ELENA**

I trailed behind Stefan as we made our way down the hall towards the room. Suddenly I was over come with a feeling, images of Damon's face streaked through my mind. I felt love, tenderness and sadness. It was so strong it took me a moment to wonder why it hit me so hard. Then I realized why.

"Oh no." I said picking up my pace.

"What's wrong?" Stefan said sounding alarmed.

"Katherine, she's in the room with Damon." I said. I ran for the door and shoved the card in and flung the door open. Sure enough there sat Katherine on the bed next to Damon. Although I was in shock I noticed that when Katherine looked up, for the first time she didn't have a look of smugness or a smile of enjoyment on her face. She looked serious and sad.

"Elena, thank god." Damon said rising from the bed. He walked over and grabbed me into his arms. I looked up at him right as he kissed me softly. My fear began to dwindle knowing it was still me he loved and she hadn't pulled any of her dirty tricks yet.

Katherine had gotten up and walked over to Stefan. She reached up and touched his face and smiled. Suddenly as I was kissing Damon I was overwhelmed with one of the strongest feelings I had ever had. I felt the warm passionate feeling of Damon washing over me along with a sweet touch of the thought of Stefan. A feeling of his love. I could feel the tenderness of the kiss she shared with him and the energy being pulled from my kiss with Damon. Tears ran down my face because the mix between her deep kiss with Stefan and the embrace and passionate whispers of Damon it was the wildest, amazing feeling, and I was devastated because I liked it...a lot.


	19. Mind Game

"So, what do you say we all go out." Katherine suggested smiling. I had never seen her so upbeat and casual around all of us. As if none of the danger and animosity had ever centered around her. As if we hadn't come all the way to New York in hopes of losing her for at least a short period of time.

Damon's eyes narrowed. "Get your own room Kat...Katherine." Damon snapped. She rolled her eyes playfully and turned towards Stefan.

"Come on Stef...it's the Big A..." Katherine said, her eyes shining up to Stefan.

"No, I think I'm just going to get back to Mystic Falls." He said quietly.

She looked at him for a long moment. "Oh please...let's go." She said looping her arm with his. They finally left the room as it fell quiet.

Damon sat down on the bed with a sigh. "I tried Elena. I'm sorry." He said. I sat down next to him.

"It's okay, I know." I told him.

"Will you at least tell me now, what she told you back home?" He asked.

I thought for a moment looking into Damon's eyes that seemed tired and defeated.

"You know what? We're in New York City. Let's go out. Let's just have some fun." I said wanting nothing more then to have a night out with Damon. A time with no worries...with the greatest love of my life.

He looked like he was going to protest for a small second...but then...Damon being Damon his mouth twisted into a smile and he took my hand.

"Let's do it." He said.

We took a cab to 13th street to the Kiss & Fly nightclub. Damon didn't even consider the idea of standing in the line outside to get in, he just walked casually past the line, his arm around my waist, to the doorman. Before the poor guy was even able to tell him to get to the back in the line, Damon had compelled him and we were inside before we were even able to hear the crowd complain outside.

I couldn't help but to smile as we made our way in. The look on every girls face as he gracefully glided into the place was hard to ignore. They were close to snapping their necks to get a good look at him. They began to whisper to one another. Of course their commentary about me wasn't as nice. The place was stunning. Chic and contemporary. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. Way out of the element of Mystic Falls..but that was when Damon's experience over the last century became clear. He wasn't like me...where all I knew was small Mystic Falls and one group of people. Damon knew where he was. He knew what he was doing, and his infallible confidence and coolness was intimidating. He leaned over the bar between a large group of girls around his age. Their eyes widened as they got a look at him.

"Two shots, Patron. Keep the tab open." He said flipping a card onto the bar. The bartender nodded and began to gather what he needed.

"Where are you from?" A pixy haired blond girl asked sitting right there where he stood.

"Nowhere in particular." He answered, not even bothering to look at her.

"It's her birthday!" A girl shouted from behind the the pixie haired girl. "You should give her your number." She said. The pixie haired girl smiled at Damon seductively hoping that her friends request would happen. He looked over at her and smiled lightly.

The bar tender sat down the two shots in front of Damon. "Happy birthday." He winked. Damon took them off the bar and turned to me. He tapped his shot glass to mine and we downed it. In that moment I was more thankful for my recent change because other wise I would have been choking on the burn in front of Damon's fan club.

He smiled at me sliding his hand on the back of my neck and sliding towards me until his face was mere inches from mine. "How was that?" He smiled brightly referring to the shot.

I nodded. Even though we could hear each other fine we had to keep up somewhat of an appearance, like us not being able to hear each other over the music booming over the speakers.

After several shots and a few actual drinks we made our way to mingle more in the club's open floor. We were having a great time and then at some point when Damon and I both were really feeling the effects, I suddenly felt a strange longing for Stefan. A felt love and possessiveness over Stefan. I was proud of him and thankful for him. So I began to look around. I knew that they were here. I guess Damon caught the look on my face because suddenly he was placing his hand on my chin.

"Elena." He said.

"I'm fine." I whispered, feeling the presence of Stefan growing stronger.

"Small world." Katherine's voice sounded. Damon laughed darkly and reached out for the shot glass laying nearby. He picked it up, took the shot and slammed it back down on the table.

"Come on." He told me taking my hand. He led me out into the crowd that was dancing with the beat of the music. We moved with the music. Damon stood behind me running his lips across my my neck and running his hands slowly down the sides of my torso. I wanted Damon so bad suddenly I had to remember we were out in a crowd. I glanced through the crowded room to see Katherine standing on the edge of the crowd. She smiled darkly, nodding slightly because I knew she felt what I felt. And the way her eyes glided over Damon, a small jealous rage began to grow inside of me. She turned quickly to Stefan. She tried to get him to dance with her but dancing wasn't something Stefan liked to do so he just shook his head and smiled in protest. She smiled back and took his hand disappearing.

I was definitely feeling the alcohol and I closed my eyes, letting the music move me and enjoying every second of Damon's hands on me. It was so amazing to me, that Damon had the strongest energy of sensuality that I don't think he was even aware of. Everything he did, everything he said..was always laced with the finest heat that was hard to look over. I turned around and kissed him deeply. It seemed at least we were truly having a good time. We laughed and talked and drank some more. I couldn't believe I was partying with Damon in NYC. It was in the middle of us laughing about a strange couple we saw attempting to dance that I was hit as if with a bat by the raging sensation of Stefan. How he used to feel pressed against me. The turn on of watching someone so respectful and composed letting go. I didn't know where him and Katherine had gone but I definitely knew what they were doing. The glass in my hand shattered as I was wrapped up in an invisible passion. Damon looked at me shocked.

"What is it, what's going on?" He said trying to look casual because of the few bystanders that were looking at me. I felt my face begin to grow dark. Damon snatched me by the wrist and we were in a dark side room alone in a matter of seconds. He looked at me slightly frightened and confused.

"Control it." He ordered me shaking my shoulders as I felt my face growing darker and the canines in my mouth flexing out. I slammed him against the wall before I even knew it and kissed him madly. He tried to hold me back for a second but then he let go when he realized what I was doing. I heard him laugh a tiniest bit and he gave in kissing my neck. He picked me up with one arm and braced me close to him as his mouth began moving down my chest. I threw my head back and sighed.

"Damon." I sighed. I began to grow my focus primarily on him but then the wave of Katherine and Stefan hit me again. "Stefan." I whispered. Suddenly I was dropped to my feet and Damon was looking at me in complete shock.

"No, no I'm so sorry." I began to panic. He just stood and stared at me not knowing what to say. "We need to leave. Now." I said. He looked around to make sure no one was looking and we bolted out at lightning speed. Out on the side walk Damon signaled a taxi and we were on our way back to the Waldorf as my head began to finally clear.

After we made it back we took the elevator and Damon pushed the last button on the panel in the elevator. We wound up on the top floor and found a side door that led us out onto the roof. The view was amazing. New York sparkling all around us. I was so caught up in the vision around me I was startled when Damon was suddenly inches from my face.

"Look...I know that you love me. But I also know it's not easy to see Katherine with Stefan. But Elena...what was that?" He said, looking hurt, confused and angry.

"Damon...I'm so sorry. I just..." I shook my head at a loss for words. Damon's eyes were pained even more, he looked at me with a wild intensity. Then he ran his hand through his hair and looked away from me.

"What am I supposed to do?" He asked quietly.

We both turned and walked toward the ledge of the roof and sat down looking out into the city.

"Damon. What were you and Katherine talking about right before Stefan and I showed up at the hotel room? Because I felt sad and longing...like I needed something back." I said.

His brows pulled together as if remembering. His blue eyes reflected the lights of the city as they began to glisten with a layer of tears.

"She was talking about the past. Her specialty. She said she was sorry for what she...wait...what do you mean you felt ..." He looked at me surprised.

"Damon, I can feel everything she feels, mentally and physically...same goes for her with me. As long as it involves you and Stefan. It's been happening for a while." I explained. He nodded thoughtful for a second.

"So, when she is with Stefan then.."

"Yes."

"And when your with me she can.."

"Yes." I answered.

He ran his hands over his face and sighed. "That explains a lot." He said.

"It's what she wants, for us to be together...all of us. It only works if we are close together." I told him.

"So when she wants Stefan...you want him too?" He asked.

"Exactly." I said.

He looked out over the city, his face stricken with bother.

That's what she told me she wanted from us that's the reason why I was upset. And then when we were all together in the hotel room I realized what it felt to have the feeling of both of you and …." I stopped not feeling like I could go on.

"And what?" He asked.

"I ..liked it Damon. It scared me because I liked it." I answered not believing what I was saying. "But I felt relieved that I did because otherwise she has some pretty nasty plans up her sleeve if I don't agree to this." I said.

He looked at me, his eyes wide. " You liked it?" He asked.

I nodded and looked down.

He laughed suddenly, a dark humorless laugh.

"Are you glad?" I asked.

"Am I glad? Of course I'm not glad!" He said with an angry intensity. "I don't want you to want Stefan. I thought that was over. I want you and all of you to myself. I'm a selfish person Elena...when will you understand that. Your mine...only mine." He said.

"Damon, we don't have a choice. If I don't agree to it she's going to force it. She's working with Mason because he has a moonstone. Apparently it can do many things but one thing It can do is manipulate souls. If I don't do this, she can remove mine and split hers between both of our bodies. Then you won't have me at all. Just two Katherine's. Or is that what YOU want?" I snapped, not knowing why I was suddenly feeling angry.

He looked at me shocked.

"No...it's not." He said. "And we do have a choice. We'll fight this. I will have you...the way I want you even if I have to kill in the process. And please...don't chalk her plan up that simple. Katherine would never share with anyone. That little moonstone she's threatening to use. It's not her back up plan...it's her main plan. I'll be damned before I let her destroy you. Just...let me look into this further now that I know what she's working with. I would place a bet that the physical connection between the two of you is a spell. Other wise there was a time when you were with Stefan that you would have felt me through her." He said in a rant.

I looked up at him shocked at what he had said.

"What?" I asked.

He looked over at me instantly apologetic. "Well, I mean when she first got to mystic falls... there was... I'm sorry." He said. The jealousy that hit me was like a car crash. I thought about his hands on her, his lips touching hers. I felt like I could have killed at that point.

"Your right. Let's fight this." I hissed.

**I already have the next chapter mapped out. Please please leave reviews..let me know what you think, what you want and so forth! :D thanks for reading. I friggin love these characters, so it's fun to write them lol**


	20. Darker Side Of Love

"So what do we do?" I asked him. He flicked a small pebble of the ledge of the roof and we listened until it hit the sidewalk far down below.

"We're going to play her game. Just go along with it until I can figure out everything we're working with. Until then it will be best for her to think everything is actually going her way." He said.

We stood up off the ledge and looked out over the city again.

"Well, I better brush up on my acting skills." I smiled. Damon looked down at me a smile playing on the edge of his mouth but then his face went serious.

"You better, we have to do this the right way...I can't lose you...I'll never let anything happen to you." He said.

"Cause I'm yours and yours only?" I asked smiling.

He smiled wildly. "Hey, don't make jokes...I'll go king kong on you, grab you up and start climbing these sky scrapers." He said.

I laughed uncontrollably. He jerked me up into his arms.

"She's mine! Grrr!" He yelled holding me up in his arms. I was laughing so hard my sides were hurting.

"Put me down!" I laughed.

"I love you." He said softly as he rested me back on my feet.

"I love you to." I said looking deeply into the blue eyes looking back at me.

We finally made it back to Mystic Falls the next day. After checking in at the house and staying a night I made it back to the boarding house just in time to walk in on Charlotte's meltdown.

"I miss Thomas! If he hasn't starved to death yet then he's probably close!" She yelped pacing back and forth. A very bewildered Damon stood in front of her watching her cross back and forth on her path of panic. He turned and looked at me, a look of helplessness written on his face and shrugged.

"What's wrong Charlotte?" I asked. I was answered with a fresh batch of sobs.

"She misses her cat." Damon answered trying to control the humor on his face. I watched her wipe her tears with her sleeve.

"I just want to check on him, maybe bring him back here. No one at home will no any different cause they knew I was visiting here." She said through tears.

"Stefan might eat him." Damon said dryly, a smile playing on is lips. I slapped his arm in protest but was also trying not to laugh.

"You don't understand the bond between a girl and her CAT!" She yelled.

Damon rolled his eyes and sighed. "I need a drink." He said making his way over to the bar.

"Why can't you just go then Charlotte? Go check on him, bring him back if you want." I said.

"I can't go by myself, I'm still not used to this whole...vampire thing...I need support and apparently Damon is to BUSY!" She cried.

I looked over at Damon who was looking at a pretend watch on his wrist as he poured a drink.

"Damon." I said. He looked up and tapped his pretend watch. "Busy schedule." He said shrugging.

"Give me a break." I said smiling.

"You can take her to Morgan Town if you want. I'm staying right here." He said pointing to the floor at his feet.

"Oh really, I can huh? Well thanks for your company King Kong...I'll go it alone." I said sarcastically.

He looked up and narrowed his eyes. He then proceeded to drink the largest glass of scotch I had ever seen him drink at one time. He slammed the glass down.

"Fine...let's go." He said.

"Go where?" I heard Katherine say out of nowhere. I looked up at her and to Damon. Damon nodded slightly at me.

"Katherine! Hey!" I said overly cheery.

"Hey." She smiled.

"Can we talk outside?" I asked a little quieter.

She narrowed her eyes but agreed. We made our way out to the back.

"What's this about?" She asked looking around uncomfortable.

"Well, I made my decision. Well, I should say Damon and I both made a decision." I said.

"Oh really?" She said perking up in interest.

"Yep, and we decided we are all for it." I reached out and took one of her hands in mine. "You and I...are going to make the best sisters ever." I said as serious as I could.

"Yeah...but are you being serious?" She said doubtingly, tilting her head to the side.

"Of course." I said. "Don't act insecure Katherine...we are better than that." I said sharply.

A huge smile spread across her face.

"You're damn right we are." She said looking vibrantly satisfied.

One thing was for sure is that I was acting. We just needed to keep her satisfied until we could find a way to fight it. After a while Damon, Charlotte and I made our way to the car and set off towards Morgan Town. Not too long after we left Damon rolled down his window and hooked his Iphone up to the speakers and had music playing on blast. I looked over at him. I could tell by the forced casual drum of his fingers on the top of the window and the deeply imbedded frown he had on his face that he was nervous about something.

**Boarding House**

"Knock Knock." Katherine said as she entered Stefan's room.

"Oh hey." Stefan said not turning away from the lap top.

"Missed you." She said, running and leaping onto his bed.

He turned all the way around in his desk chair and faced Katherine with a look of annoyance.

"So...what brings you over here?" He asked.

"What doesn't bring me over here?" She snapped.

"Katherine...maybe you're not aware...but you do know that your just a crutch right?" Stefan asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Katherine asked growing angry.

"I love Elena...that's what it means. But...she's unavailable and you just so happen to look just like her." Stefan said smiling coolly. "You're a crutch. You help ease the pain and so on." He said nodding.

"Well, your just going to have to get over that." Katherine said with a raise of her chin. "Damon and Elena decided that we should all just be together so if you're just afraid that someone disagrees with you and I then you're wrong." She smiled. "Plus...you weren't calling me your crutch last night now were you?" She asked.

Stefan sighed and shook his head even though he was trying to hide the shock of her statement about all of them being together. He decided that as soon as Damon and Elena got back he would be asking about what the hell he was missing.

"By the way...where IS Damon and Elena?" Katherine asked, her eyes narrowed.

**ELENA**

"Damon?" I said when we finally stopped. Charlotte got out of the back seat and began to pump gas into the car. Damon gripped the steering wheel like it was his life support.

"Yeah?" He asked without even looking at me.

"What's wrong?" I asked growing very worried.

He looked at me, his eyes wide with anxiety. "Elena, you changed my life. A life that I had for a very very long time before you were even born." He said looking down, his midnight hair falling into his face.

"You went to this college didn't you?" I asked beginning to understand.

"Yes." He answered nodding. "It's where I was right before I came to Mystic Falls." He explained.

"And what are you trying to warn me about?" I asked

"I'm just trying to remind you that I have a past." He said quietly gazing out of the front windshield.

I considered this for a second, knowing that if it was bothering him this bad that obviously there would be something that I wasn't going to like. But I knew this, and I would except it no matter what. Just the look of worry on his face was enough to make me weak with compassion.

"Damon...it's okay..I promise." I smiled.

"It is getting cold out there!" Charlotte said getting back into the car. Damon grinned at Charlotte's loud interruption as he cranked the car and we headed out.

After getting back out onto the highway Damon's phone rang and he put it on speaker phone.

"Hey little brother, I'm glad you could reach the emergency numbers on the fridge." Damon smiled.

"Not funny. And by the way...I'm not far behind you. Katherine decided that if your heading to the college, on a Friday, during fall break there would most certainly be a party. And since we're all one big happy family now...she decided she didn't want to miss it." Stefan said through his teeth.

"Yeah...about that. I meant to explain the whole situation." Damon said hearing the anger in Stefan's voice.

"Oh really...well...guess what? You DIDN'T. So...I'm dragging her out here with you guys so that I can place the largest inconvenience on you possible." Stefan snapped.

"Clever, I'm proud...but you do know that I'm pissed now, right?" Damon asked.

"Don't care much." Stefan said and hung up.

"Great." Damon sighed tossing his phone down.

"Yeah...no kidding." I said looking out of the passenger window watching the trees blur past. I was more concerned about Katherine's love of public hook ups. The last thing I needed were those feelings back again. It seemed like every time it happened the feelings stayed a little more each time. Slowly slipping me back into a genuine loving feeling for Stefan.

We finally made it to the campus a little while later as the sun was setting. Our main objective was just to get stuff out of Charlotte's dorm room and to make sure everyone saw her to establish that she wasn't missing. But as soon as she got out and squealed because a group of her friends were walking by I knew we were in for the long haul. Damon seemed to take an un needed deep breath and braced himself for whatever was coming. It was only a matter of seconds before Charlotte turned around from the group of her friends and yelled "Can we please go to the party! It's the frats and sororities mixer!" She yelled.

I nodded smiling. I was actually intrigued by Damon's nervousness. I had a strange curiosity growing inside of me and suddenly I wanted nothing more than to see who he was right before he came to Mystic Falls. I had to see him in this light. Damon Salvatore, and his life in college. I smiled wider.

"Yeah let's go." I said.

Damon looked at me, his eyes piercing. I shrugged and smiled.

"Your enjoying this aren't you?" He asked quietly as we made our way into the building.

"Yup." I answered. It wasn't long before we found ourselves walking down a long corridor with students lining the halls, downing red plastic cups of beer. The room ahead where the main party was, was packed and we could already hear the music blasting and the raised voices.

"Charlotte! Omigod come here!" A girl waved from further down the hall. Then she did the opposite and ran to us.

"Hey Sarah!" Charlotte squealed hugging her.

"Where have you been!" Sarah asked.

"Mystic Falls. I went down for the college recruitment day and...then I found some friends." She smiled gesturing to me and Damon. She smiled at me and then looked at Damon, her eyes widening as her eyes flickered to Charlotte in a secret smile.

"No damn way! Damon Salvatore!" A guy suddenly yelled from behind us. Damon didn't turn at first he just merely cringed. Then he turned and looked at the slim, athletic brown haired guy as he made his way over.

"Ben! How are you man?" Damon asked.

"Uhhh I would say it's been friggin LAME since you left! The party is here now!" He yelled.

"Oh uh..no I'm just ...stopping by.." Damon began.

"Oh right! Nope...your staying right here Salvatore! Oh, I'm going to tell the rest of the guys your here. Frat master is back!" He yelled running toward the main party.

I was in shock but I raised my eyes to Damon grinning so hard my mouth hurt.

"Not a word Elena." He said.

"You...were a frat guy?" I asked.

"Maybe." Damon shrugged.

"It makes a lot of sense." I said as I began to laugh.

"Ohhh now I know why your name sounds familiar." Charlotte gasped and then began laughing. "You are like that guy that all the other guys want to be!" Charlotte laughed.

Damon shook his head and we began to walk into the party.

"Hey guys, one of my friends was keeping Thomas for me. I'm going to go check on him and then I'll be right back, okay?" She said.

"Alright." I waved.

We made our way into the party and the crowd busted out into a commotion and then they all started cheering. It only took a second for me to realize they were all turned watching Damon walk in. Damon waved small and nodded. They were patting him on the back, punching him in the arm. He was literally like a celebrity.

"Damon! Have a drink man!" A guy called handing him a cup. He thrust it literally into Damon's chest. Damon took a long draw from it and then squeezed it and tossed it to the side. As soon as the cup hit the floor the crowd cheered again.

I shook my head in amusement as everyone began to gather around him talking.

A little while later when everything had gotten back to a normal party we were standing by the wall talking. Damon, myself and Charlotte.

"Damon?" I heard a girls voice ring out behind him. We all turned to find a slender, model beautiful auburn haired girl standing there.

"Jade." He stated quietly. But his face rang surprise.

A soft smile stretched across her face and she ran and jumped into his arms smashing her mouth into his.

I took a step back in surprise and looked at Charlotte. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened.

Damon jerked her off and set her to her feet.

"Oh...mi god...I'm so sorry. It's just been too long Damon. I miss you." She pouted looking uncomfortably over at me.

Damon smiled politely but then wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. I usually would be very flattered but I was too busy trying to swallow the jealousy from watching her kiss Damon.

"Jade, this is Elena." He introduced me to clearly to show that we were together. She smiled, but it was forced. I could see the hurt wash over her face. Something told me that she was just as jealous of me as I was of her. Damon bottomed up on his eleventh cup of beer and I could tell he was drowning in uncomfortableness.

"Nice to meet you." She lied. She looked back to Damon. "I'm not sure if I ever thanked for what you did Damon. It's too bad I can't give you an appropriate thank you." She winked. He smiled, truly smiled at her.

"I'm glad your doing well Jade." He said.

I felt the slightest tug at my face, hoping it wouldn't begin to grow dark. Hoping the canines in my mouth wouldn't begin to take over.

She smiled up at him admiringly. She reached out and touched the side of his face. "I missed you." She whispered.

I was just about to open my mouth and say something, although I wasn't even sure what when I heard Katherine's voice.

"Fancy meeting you here." She laughed. To my surprise, I was relieved to have Katherine there. Something about it made me feel more confident. And Stefan was here. I looked over at him. Stefan looked at me long and meaningfully.

"Oh wow, you look exactly like Elena." Jade said in surprise.

"We're sisters...twins." I nearly interrupted her. Katherine smiled over at me. She glanced toward Jade and then back to me. I knew she understood how I felt. The look on her face said it all. She was being jealous with me. I guess that Jade began to get the message, because then she seemed to laugh nervously and walk off.

"She's pretty, Damon. Did you lead her on into obsession?" Katherine snapped at Damon.

"Who invited you here again?" Damon said.

"Well played..asshole." Katherine grinned.

"Come on." Damon said taking my hand and leading me away from Katherine, Stefan and Charlotte.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we made our way out into the crowd.

"Away." He snapped. He pulled me into a darker corner of the huge room. His body pressed closer to mine in the corner, his face lowering, inches to mine.

"Elena, I'm sorry about Jade...it was a...thing." He said.

"Oh a thing?" I laughed sarcastically, mad at myself for being angry after I promised him I would be fine.

"Yes, Elena...it was just ...it doesn't matter okay? You know I love you." He said. Suddenly he was jerked by his shoulder. He turned and face a group of guys standing behind him,

"Damon! My man! We're about to play a drink off. Let's go. It would be an honor to compete with you." The guy in the middle chimed.

"Um, no thanks Gerard. I'm sorry." Damon said.

Gerard busted out laughing. "Really Salvatore! Let's go." He said yanking the front of Damon's shirt. They led him to a table covered in nothing but shot glasses filled with tequila.

"Okay, one shot after another! Last man standing is the champion!" A guy yelled at the head of the table. Damon suddenly looked humored, he knew he had this down.

"1,2,3!" The guy yelled. Damon picked up the shot glasses along the with the other guys and began taking them one at a time. On his 15th the other guys began to dwindle down slowly until Damon was the last on the 20th."

"The champion!" A guy yelled holding Damon's arm up. The crowd cheered. Damon stumbled his way over to me.

"I'm very sure that I'm wasted." He slurred. Suddenly I felt the sensation of Stefan hit me so hard I gasped and looked over to him and Katherine. Sure enough she was kissing him deeply. I stared longingly at Stefan without even realizing I was doing it.

"I'm sorry don't let me interrupt you." Damon hissed pushing past me. He stormed out of the room. I touched my lips in shock that I could feel so much detail. After a few minutes I went in search of Damon finally finding him outside leaning against a wall. His hair hung in his eyes as he drew a cigarette to his mouth, drawing from it and exhaling a cloud of smoke into the air.

"You smoke?" I asked in surprise.

He looked over at me, his face drawn with anger. "I used to." He said, flicking it out of his hands as it hit the ground sending a burst of embers spiraling close to the ground.

"Damon I;m sorry okay? I can't help how it feels." I said walking up to him. I noticed his blue eyes were faded and unfocused with intoxication.

"I don't really care." He said.

"Really, well I'm sure you don't care as much as I don't care about that Jade girl. I'm sire something DID happen but it seems like something is still happening!" I snapped. "What does she have to be so thankful for anyway, Damon? The awesome sex!" I yelled.

In a flash he pushed me against the wall. "Yes..." He answered in a whisper. I felt my stomach sink in anger and uncontrollable jealousy. He stared angrily into my eyes for along moment. It was both scary and strangely sexy. "But she also is thankful because I saved her life. She was dying. She had cancer Elena and I changed her so that she wouldn't die." He hissed. "But then I moved to Mystic Falls, found you and fell completely in love. You know...while you were falling for my brother. Looks like things are beginning to repeat itself." He snapped, pounding his fist into the wall on either side of me.

"Damon I can't help it." I began to cry.

"And I can't take it!" He snapped.

Then he kissed me wildly and I jerked him into my grasp. His reflexes were weal with intoxication but it felt nice to have the control over Damon. He was mine, like I was his. It was love and an obsession.

**The moonstone will be the topic of the next chapter. Hope you will be truly happy with what I have planned for it. :D Reviews please! **


	21. False Temptations

A while later we finally got in the car and headed back to Mystic Falls. It was a quiet ride. Charlotte had fallen asleep, Thomas held close to her chest. The base of the mellow music pulsed out of the speakers. I looked over at Damon, his hair tossing around his face as the chilled air washed through the windows. My vivid senses picked up on the sweet scent of the fall leaves in the air as it filtered through the car and Damon's jeweled blue eyes reflecting the light of the moon as it shown brightly down on us and cast shadows across the beautiful angles of his face.

We finally made it back to the boarding house. Charlotte quickly disappeared to her room with Thomas after a quiet thanks for taking her to get him. Damon turned and took my hand as we made our way upstairs to his room. Once we were in he shut the door and turned to me, his face weary.

"Damon, are you okay?" I asked. He nodded but his expression never changed.

He came and sat down on the bed and pulled me closer to him. He kissed me lightly on the lips and ran his hand through the back of my hair. "I've got to find out what's going on Elena. I can't take this anymore. I've got to get to the bottom of it." Damon explained, his voice low and determined. I nodded and looked down to the bed, studying each thread as it weaved into the next. He lifted my chin with his finger till I was looking back into his eyes. They were light and seemingly mixed with silver like I had seen before. I never understood the drastic changes in the blue of his eyes but I did know that when they were this silvery blue he never looked more true to his vampire form. His eyes almost seemed to glow through his hark lashes. It was so intimidating, beautiful and mesmerizing. As I looked into his eyes, there was something so quiet, and intimate about the moment I felt something go through me and it took me only a minute to realize that I had fallen even deeper. I didn't think it would be possible to love him more than I already did...but here I was falling again.

Then the crushing current of longing for Stefan hit me again, harder than ever before. Katherine's heavy seductive laugh carried to our bedroom from Stefan's. My fingers pressed into Damon's arms and he watched me closely his eyes filling with fresh pain and anger. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to block it out without any hope. Damon shook my arms lightly.

"Elena, please." Damon said urgently. I shook my head trying to block it out even harder, I didn't want to see the look on Damon's face for another second. Why was this so strong? Before I even knew it, I was off the bed and my legs were carrying me out of the room and down the hall.

"Elena." Damon whispered to me as he followed close behind. Right when I reached Stefan's door, Katherine opened it wearing only a long t-shirt. She grinned wildly at me.

"Hey Elena." She said slowly and seemingly amused. Stefan walked up beside her at the door. The sight of Stefan nearly sent me to my knees. I stared at him, the longing I felt for him, keeping me prisoner. He looked at me but looked worried. "Well, if you want him...come and get him." Katherine smiled. Before I knew it I began taking steps towards Stefan. I just wanted to be close to him, I just wanted to feel his hands on me...I just wanted...

"Elena!" Damon snapped behind me in disbelief. He reached out and grabbed my arm, jerking me back.

"Damon what are you doing?" Stefan asked angry. "Why are you jerking her around?" Stefan seemed to stand up taller in defense.

"She doesn't want you, Stefan. It's her that's doing this!" Damon snapped, pointing at Katherine.

Katherine smiled and walked up to Damon until she was no more than a couple of inches from his face. "Don't you ever try to trick me again." She said darkly, and then she was gone.

I realized as I began to come to my senses only a little, that she had realized Damon and I were lying about our companionship. Now she was angry.

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked me lightly, reaching out and putting his hand on my shoulder. I looked down at his hand resting there and then back to his face. I looked back to Damon. He stood there awkwardly..wanting to stay...wanting to run. I could feel the pain coursing through his body...the anger emanating from him. Not knowing what he could trust at the moment. He turned with a deep sigh and disappeared out of sight. Only moments later the front door slammed and he was gone.

**Bonnie & Damon**

He pulled into the drive, happy to see the lights on in the house. He ran tot he front door and knocked until Bonnie answered the door in true surprise.

"Damon, what are you doing here? It's almost 2am.

"I need your help." Damon said.

"Is that like a question or more of a demand?" Bonnie said, her eyes squinting.

"Bonnie...let me in. Please. It's Elena." He said, knowing that was his ticket inside.

Her eyes widened in alarm. "Come in." She said, backing away for him to enter.

He stepped inside and tried going with the most straight forward as he could.

"Elena is a vampire." He said.

"What!" She screeched. "What did you do!" She said growing hysterical.

"Listen judgy..I didn't do anything-" He began walking to her, but suddenly he dropped to his knees in pure pain, squeezing his palms to both sides of his head. "Bonnie...please." He managed to choke out through the pain. She finally released him when she noticed him growing too weak to even kneel and he began sinking to the floor.

"It's just like you Damon! Your so selfish you couldn't even leave Elena in her natural form!" Bonnie grew tears in her eyes.

Damon grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around. "I didn't ...do..it." He said through his teeth.

"Than who?" She said doubtful.

"Katherine." He answered. Her eyes widened.

"That's right judgy...I'm not the only selfish asshole in town." He snapped.

"What did you come here for Damon?" She said coldly.

"I need you to look up something in your witchy little books." Damon said pacing back and forth. "Something called a moonstone." He said. Bonnie's eyes grew wide.

"A moonstone?" She asked in surprise.

"You know of it?" Damon asked, his brow raised.

"I've heard a few things. Let me grab the book that has the information in it." She said. She ran to the next room, where there was a small library of books. She scanned through them until she grabbed one out and headed back into the living room. She flipped through the pages until she stopped and began reading.

"There's a lot of different things you can do with a moonstone. It's a very powerful thing. There's no telling what one thing in particular that Katherine's trying to do with it, which I'm guessing is the case." Bonnie said looking up at Damon for confirmation.

He nodded.

"Hey...are you okay? You look...sad." Bonnie said.

"No, yeah ...I'm alright..I just...I'm just worried." He explained.

She studied the book for a longer moment. Then she glanced up at Damon and back to the book.

"What is it?" Damon asked.

"Uhh..well it ..." Bonnie grew silent.

"What is it, Bonnie?" Damon ordered an answer.

"There's one thing you can do with the moonstone to break it's power for good. But...it's kind of a big deal. Plus I would need it." Bonnie said.

"What is it?" Damon asked walking closer.

"I don't know Damon...it's a very serious thing." Bonnie said looking up at him.

**ELENA**

I stood still gazing at Stefan long after I heard Damon's car haul off in the distance. Of course part of me, the truest part of me, wanted to run after him. But I was frozen...I could feelt he power holding me there like an idiot. Staring at Stefan.

"What's going on Elena?" Stefan asked. I didn't answer. Finally he reached out and ran the back of his hand gently across my cheek. "It's a spell, or a power isn't it?" He asked.

"Yes." Was all I could say.

"You love Damon don't you? Truly?" He asked.

"Yes." I answered.

He nodded. A fresh glint of tears forming in his eyes. "Okay." He whispered.

I couldn't take this feeling anymore and hunger was taking over me. I rushed out of the house and it wasn't long before my bare feet were treading the forest floor.

**DAMON**

Damon knocked on the door.

Katherine opened it, her eyes growing into angry slits.

"What are you doing here?" She snapped.

"I came to apologize." Damon said calmly.

"Oh, really?" Katherine said sarcastically and backing away from the door showing her hand into the room. "Come in." She said.

He walked into the room and turned to her. "See, I never meant to lie before about all of us being together. That wasn't exactly what was really going on." Damon said.

"And what WAS really going on?" Katherine snapped.

"Ill tell you..." Damon said crossing the room to her in a flash. He reached up and tucked her hair behind her ears. She looked up at him in shock. "I was jealous, because I want you to myself." Damon said deeply. He lowered his lips to her ear. "I want you now." Damon whispered. She looked into his eyes, in shock but in absolute heaven. Then without hesitation he crashed his mouth into hers. She kissed him deeply. The suddenly she pushed him away, he fought to regain his balance but it didn't take long.

"You're lying...what are you really here for?" She asked. "You love Elena..." She said shrugging.

"Correction Katherine. Stefan loves Elena...I love you...can you really deny that? Who was the one who spent a century basking in misery over you. Wasn't really Stefan...it was me. Is it really so hard to believe that Elena isn't anything more than...?"

"A crutch?" Katherine finished.

"Exactly." Damon said.

She eyed him carefully, trying to figure out if she believed him. Then in a flash she lunged into him, kissing him wildly. He threw her on the bed, laughing darkly into her hair as she sighed. He reached up and took her hands and thrusted them into the black iron head mount of the bed. Then in a flashed he pulled a sparkling thin silver chain from his pocket, it look more like a necklace than a restraint, so Katherine didn't notice until he had put the chain around her hands and bounded it to the headboard. Bonnie had put a spell on it so that it connected and would release. He jumped up off the bed as Katherine's eyes grew wide with horror.

"What the hell have you done?" She hissed, beginning to struggle with the chain. Damon didn't hear a word she was saying. He began to turn the room upside down looking for the moonstone. He looked and looked until he opened a ceder chest at the end of the bed. Nestled in a small drawer inside of it sat the translucent stone. He picked it up looking at it carefully.

"Damon, put it down!" She yelled.

"Nope." He said simply with a smile. Then he walked to the door. He turned right before he left.

"It was nice while it lasted." He said sarcastically, winking.

Once he made it back outside of the bed and breakfast, Bonnie was standing right outside. He handed her the moonstone.

"Thanks for doing this." Damon said.

"You sure this is what you want to do with it?" Bonnie asked.

"Yes, I just hope Elena is as sure as I am." Damon said. Bonnie reached out and took Damons hand and began to whisper. It was in a language Damon didn't understand. After a small second he took his hand out of hers.

"What are you doing?" He snapped.

Bonnie smiled. "Have a good night, Damon."

Once Damon was back in the car his cell phone rang. He answered it.

"Damon, where are you?" Stefan asked.

"I'm out paying bills, what are you doing?" Damon said sarcastically.

"Damon, Elena was upset...she went out..I'm pretty sure she's some where in the woods." Stefan said, his voice growing urgent.

"Okay, I'll go look for her." Damon said.

"I'm going out to look for her to, just hurry." Stefan said.

"What's the sudden urgency, Stefan...are we in a race for her love? Now THIS should be reality tv, you know?" Damon grinned.

"Look out your windshield, Damon." Stefan said in a serious tone.

Damon squinted out of the windshield in confusion. "Stefan why are you always so cryptic? It's really starting to annoy me...you...oh no.." Damon said, as he suddenly realized that Stefan was referring to the full moon in the sky. He slammed on the gas, sending the motor purring to life as he sped in the direction of Elena.

**ELENA**

I wondered around for a while, no sound around me at all other then the sound of my own soft sobs. It wasn't until I heard the faint voice of Damon in the distance that I finally felt relieved.

"Elena!" I heard his voice ring out.

"Damon!" I called out running towards his voice. Our bodies finally crashed into each other and we hugged and kissed wildly.

"Oh my god, Elena. Are you okay?" He looked intently into my eyes. I wiped my face with my sleeve.

"Yes, yes I'm okay. I'm just so sorry for tonight Damon..I'm so so sorry." I cried.

"Elena it's okay..it's okay now. I found a way to fix everything. I know how to stop Katherine...but Elena...You have to want to do this to..." He said, his voice sounding softer at the end.

"What is it?" I asked.

He took my hands and looked deeply at me. A soft loving smile stretched across his face.

"Elena.."

Suddenly in a loud crack Damon was sent crashing into the ground. I looked down and screamed, to my horror Damon was laying under a wolf...a wolf who sounded like they were ready to kill.

**Reviews please :D**


	22. Rise & Fall

I stood in absolute horror watching Damon scramble underneath the wolf. All I could see was Damon's glossy black hair trembling as he fought to escape. The wolf growled deeply but strong, I could hear it reverberating through the woods, and I could feel it vibrating in the ground. Just as I was about to lunge toward it, a blur soared by and suddenly Damon was on his feet, Stefan gripping the back of his shirt to hold him steady. The wolf spun around in surprise, a new growl ripped from his shining teeth. Stefan and Damon stumbled backwards but it was too late and the wolf lunged back toward Damon again and before any of us could stop it the wolf sank his teeth deep into Damon's arm. Damon yelled out in pain and I staggered forward in shock as Damon fell to the ground. But it wasn't rushing to Damon's side that came to my mind next. It wasn't to crumple and cry. A fire rose up in me and all I could do was go after the wolf. It seemed as if it hadn't moved, it was transfixed on Damon, so I quickly took the opportunity and wrapped my arms around his neck. Just as quickly I slung it over my shoulder and as it smashed into the ground. A yelp and a small whimper came from the wolf and it began to jerk violently. I looked over to Damon and ran over to him.

"Damon?" I said, touching him lightly on the shoulder. His eyes snapped open and he looked at me for a long silent moment.

"I'm not dead." He said as if he were suddenly realizing it. I couldn't help but to laugh lightly.

"No..you're not." I said smiling down at him.

"Guys." Stefan said to both of us. Damon stood up as we watched the wolf, flip and contort strangely until it began to take on a human shape. I pressed my face into Damon's arm as the half man half wolf whimpers began. I couldn't watch it anymore. I heard Damon say something under his breath, even he was taken aback by the gruesome scene. Finally it seemed to change and I looked up to see Mason laying on the ground screaming in pain. I felt Damon shrug me off his arm as we walked over to Mason. Mason's eyes were wide as he lay looking up at Damon. Damon kneeled slowly down towards Mason.

"Why aren't you dead?" Mason hissed through pain.

"I don't know Mason." Damon said, a smug smile spreading across his face. It reminded me of how much I used to disdain that smile, but now it only made me go weak. "Survival of the fittest, asshole." Damon laughed. He stood up and slammed his foot into Mason's chest. Mason choked in pain. Damon reached down and placed his hands on either side of Mason's head. "Nighty night." He said, the hate in his voice sent chills over me. Then with a crack of Mason's neck there was nothing but silence. Damon stood up and brushed his palms together like he was dusting them off after a simple chore. "There...no more crying wolf." Damon said smiling, obviously pleased with his joke. Stefan rolled his eyes at Damon's usual carelessness.

"Are we sure he's dead? I'm not familiar with werewolf anatomy." Stefan said rubbing the back of his neck in frustration.

Damon shrugged still smiling slightly. I could tell he was sitting high, feeling on top of the world.

"Well, I'm going to take him back down to the bunker he was using. I can put him under lock and key and keep an eye on him. If nothing happens then we'll ...get rid of him, or whatever." Stefan said.

"Sounds good." Damon said. His cell phone rang. He took it out of his pocket. "Good coverage." He said. "Hello?"

I looked over at Stefan who was busy picking up Mason and throwing him over his shoulder.

"Be careful." I said. "Just in case he isn't really dead."

Stefan nodded and disappeared in a blur.

"Bonnie is going to meet us at the house soon. We're going to end the moonstone's power."

"Is that what you were telling me before Mason attacked?" I asked.

Damon smiled. "Yeah, Bonnie found a way to end it...but it's ...something we need to talk about."

"Well, what is it?" I asked.

"Let's just get back to the house and then I'll explain everything." Damon said.

As soon as we stepped through the door of the Boardinghouse, Damon put his arm out in front of me suddenly, obviously in protection. I could sense it to. Someone was there. We walked into the living room just in time to see Katherine step out in front of us.

"Okay, now you have just pissed me off." Katherine snapped. I looked to Damon, confused as to what she was talking about.

"How did you get loose?" Damon asked.

"Those spells should be double checked, some of them don't last forever." Katherine smiled. "But I must say...I enjoyed that hot make out session before hand." Katherine purred.

A stab of jealousy stabbed through me, ice cold and unforgiving. I knew it was probably part of Damon's plan but it still got to me, and she knew it because then she was grinning at me, loving every second of the feeling she shared.

"Your precious little moonstone is done for, so whatever plan you had up your sleeve is useless...it's like you in that way." Damon smiled.

I heard a rustling behind Katherine and we looked up to see Charlotte come in behind Katherine.

"What's going on?" She asked, sensing the tension.

"Katherine was just finally leaving, I think she's finally realized she's not wanted...by anyone." Damon said with smooth liquid hate.

Katherine smiled, and began to back up slowly. Then before our very eyes she moved like lightning. She reached over and broke of a piece of the cherry wood spindle from the staircase and spun quickly, shoving it straight into Charlotte's chest.

"No!" I screamed. Katherine was out in a flash. Leaving us alone just as Charlotte fell to the floor, her face grayed and then she was dead. Damon's eyes were round with horror. He staggered over to Charlotte on the floor and sunk to his knees. He reached out and touched her face.

"What the hell?" Bonnie suddenly appeared in the living room.

I looked over at her...my eyes filled with tears. "Katherine." I said.

We watched Damon kneeled over Charlotte. He turned and looked at Bonnie, his eyes shining with with tears and grief.

"Do something." He whispered. Bonnie looked at me and then back to him in surprise.

"Damon...I don't.." Bonnie stammered.

"Do something Bonnie! Save her!" He screamed standing up and pointing at Charlotte on the floor.

"Damon I can't." I Can't bonnie said as tears began to form in her eyes.

Damon locked his fingers behind his head and paced the floor. Then he reached down and grabbed the stake out of Charlotte's chest and threw it across the living room screaming in anger.

"Stay right here...I'll be back soon." He said beginning to leave.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Katherine is going to die." He said darkly.


End file.
